Fire and Ice
by Just Silver
Summary: *** Draco/Harry (slash).....Harry's desperate act leads to something sweet, but will it last?
1. Fire and Ice

A/N: Hi people! I'm so glad you decide to give this little fic a try, but first some warnings...  
  
For all you little kiddies: Scoot! This story is not for you. I don't want to be responsible for urm- corrupting young minds.  
  
For all you homophobes: Scoot! This story is not for you.  
  
For all people still remaining who have open minds and nothing else to do: Welcome!  
  
This fic is rather slashy. (Mad scramble for doors.) Those of you left, please let me know what you think. If no one likes it, I won't continue.  
  
P.S. For the person who signs their reviews Blah blah blah and other like him/her, you have been quite fairly and profusely warned that this is slash.  
1. I said it in the summary  
2. It's rated R, so it's probably got a lot of slash.  
3. I said this fic was not for homophobes (that would be people who are scared of the thought of two people of the same sex having sex)  
4. I said this fic is and I quote: rather slashy.  
  
Now, if you are so stupid as to ignore these warnings, be disgusted, but I don't need to hear about it. A few more things: I am not gay, and I'm not a freak. I'm insane. Get it right!  
  
P.P.S. Enjoy!  
  
***  
He stood there watching him as he lay asleep. Moonlight reflected off his flawless skin. His feathery hair seemed the stuff moonbeams were made of. It floated around his face, framing his almost feminine beauty. He was a creature carved from ice, cold, distant, remote, hard, unyielding, yet at times he seemed as fragile as ice. His hard silver eyes reminded Harry of his character. He was like a snowstorm in a dense wood, beautiful, yet deadly if you wandered into it. He was as ruthless as the bitter cold North that was home to the ice from which his form was created.   
  
His eyes ceased to wander and rested on his lips, so soft, so inviting without their usual smirk. He reached out to touch those lips but thought better of it. "What would it be like to kiss those lips?" he wondered silently. Would they be as cold as ice or burn like fire? Would he survive their touch? Would he be consumed and turned to ash if they were offered to him in passion? Or would he wither away if they remained cold and inflexible, reminding him of the impossibility of this newfound attraction?  
  
Attraction. That was too weak of a word. Desire was better. Desire. Craving. Obsession. That's what it was, an all consuming lust to feel him, taste him. Something that drove him insane and made him endure the harsh, stinging comments that fell from the same lips he yearned to kiss. A thirst that drove him mad when he could see his desire but not touch and madder still when even that much was denied.  
  
He lay there like a prince in a backward fairy tale, waiting for a kiss to wake him up, but not a kiss from Harry. Nay, never a kiss from Harry. Harry knew this better than anyone and it broke his heart. Yet he was still tormented by the sight of those silken lips. He saw them when he closed his eyes, mocking him. They were so tempting. What would it be like to kiss them? "NO!" a little voice in his head screamed. "Don't do this! You can't-" Fuck it, he thought suddenly. He couldn't stand it anymore. He had to know.  
  
He leaned over and kissed his lips gently. He got a quick response. He felt his tongue exploring his mouth gently. Harry had his answer. It was like ice burning through his veins, chilling him and igniting his passion at the same time. He sank to his knees. The other boy opened his eyes. "Harry?" Draco said softly "What the hell are you doing here?"   
  
It was then that Harry realized he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.  
  
  
**^.^ **   
  
  
He stood frozen for a moment. Then he thought, If I'm damned, might as well be thoroughly damned. He grabbed Draco by the shoulders and kissed him again. He felt a shiver of ecstasy when Draco surrendered in his arms, relinquishing for one moment his insufferable pride.   
  
Harry's head was spinning. His knees were in danger of giving out. "Oh, God, not now," he prayed in his head. " Not now." If there was a world outside this kiss he didn't want to know. Let Voldemort storm in here. He didn't care. His knees buckled. Draco's arms locked around him and held him up. From that moment Draco was kissing Harry.  
  
Harry wanted to die. The kiss seemed to go on forever, but he knew it had to end and he didn't want to be there when it did. He didn't want to explain to Draco why or how he had sneaked into his dorm and had kissed him. He didn't want to have to leave and pretend everything was normal.   
  
"You're cruel, " he whispered when Draco pulled away.  
"I had to breathe," Draco protested, his lips brushing Harry's ear. Harry leaned against Draco, closing his eyes against the swirl of emotions inside. He was spent, but he was there in Draco's arms, and he could feel Draco's heart beating as fast as his own. He felt his lips on his neck, working slowly upward. Harry lay still. He felt the desire to kiss him stirring again. He was motionless as Draco landed butterfly kisses on his cheeks and eyelids.  
  
Finally, Harry felt Draco's lips on his. They were cold as he parted Harry's lips with his tongue, but the feelings he sent through Harry were anything but. Harry was overcome with waves of ecstasy, simply drowning in them. His breath came in short, sharp gasps. Draco kissed him with a new urgency, holding him so tight he felt like he was going to melt into him. His lips moved back down Harry's neck, his hands unfastening his robe. He kissed Harry's shoulders, caressed his back. It was all Harry could do to keep quiet. He let a soft moan escape him.  
  
A sudden noise parted them. Draco drew up Harry's robes quickly. They froze for a moment. All was quiet. Draco kissed Harry once more. "You should go now, Harry," Draco whispered in between kisses.  
"I'd much rather stay," was the reply.  
"Harry-"Draco said before Harry kissed him.  
"H'm?"  
"There will be other nights." He put his hands on his shoulders. "You have to go before you're caught."  
Reluctantly, Harry left. He felt better when he was staring at the curtains of his own bed. After all, like Draco said, there would be other nights.  
  
***  
The end of this part. Thank you for bearing with me. Please review.  
Luv ya-   
Silver   



	2. The Morning After

The Morning After  
  
A/N: Thank you wonderful, wonderful people who reviewed! You're comments made me so happy. Luckily, you liked it cuz I already started the next part. Rest assured I am working on a plot. It's coming!  
Thanks to:  
Ron,Scarlette,Adelina, AnimeGirl, Lauren (special props for mentioning what you liked best),Mara, Krissy, Cali(you have no idea how happy I was to read your comment. You made my day!) CrystalStarGuardian, and minx(special props to you too).  
  
Draco has kindly agreed to take over for this part. I have eagerly agreed because my original one was kind of weak after the first part.   
  
***  
In broad daylight, last night's events seemed impossible. Even in the moonlight, last nights events had seemed impossible. Halfway through the first kiss, I realized that I wasn't dreaming. I took a peek through my long lashes. It was Harry Potter! Harry Potter was kissing me. What surprised me even more was that I hadn't pulled away from Harry. Unlike Ginny Weasley, Harry Potter kissing me wasn't something I dreamed about. Well, okay, maybe once, but even after that, I had woken up repulsed. I had been extra nasty to Harry and his friends for two weeks because of it. But when it actually happened, I was anything but repulsed. I was about as far from it as one can get without going full circle. At first I was scared that someone would wake up and see this. God, what a story that would make! Can you imagine? I could see the headline:  
  
Boy Who Lived Found in Arms of Former Death Eater's Son  
  
I didn't care. The worst thing I could think of by far was that Harry would disappear into the night and leave me.   
  
I had kissed Harry Potter -in this bed -the previous night. I could still taste him on my lips. I liked it. I liked everything about last night. It was hard to believe. I had had my tongue in Harry's mouth. I had had Harry's robe down around his waist. I was absolutely furious at the person who had stirred last night. When I found out who it was... I smiled wickedly to myself. I would've liked to see how far I could've gone with Harry before his nearly unforgivable modesty kicked in.   
"What are you smiling about, Draco?" Goyle asked me. I started, incredibly angry with Goyle for interrupting my thoughts.  
"Nothing," I snapped.   
  
Breakfast was a special kind of torture. I could see Harry, but he seemed so far away. I could still taste Harry on my lips, smell him on my skin, and hear him whispering in my ear. "Draco? What's wrong? You're not eating," said Pansy. I sighed.   
"Nothing," I replied, stabbing at my waffles. I couldn't eat. I wasn't hungry in the slightest, at least not for food. All I could think about was how much I wanted to kiss Harry and how the hell I was going to get through Potions.  
  
Potions was horrible. Snape was in a particular vindictive mood and it gave me no pleasure to see him pounce on Harry, especially since I wanted to do all the pouncing. Snape was all over Harry about the slightest little flaw in his potion- a flaw that was completely fixable. Had he always been this cruel to Harry? Why hadn't I noticed before? Why was I all of a sudden so disturbed by it? I couldn't stand it anymore. I "accidentally" spilled an entire bottle of Goblin blood into my potion. The result was that my cauldron was instantly vaporized and caustic ooze spilled onto the stone floor, eating into it. Everyone ran out of the dungeons. I managed to grab Harry and give him a quick peck in the confusion. "How do you like my distraction?" I asked, grinning evilly.  
"You did that on purpose?" Harry gasped. I nodded.  
"For you," I added. Harry blushed. God, he was cute.  
  
"What was that?" Snape demanded. His eyes flashed angrily, however I had never been afraid of Snape, so his look was lost on me. It worked wonders on Longbottom, who turned incredible pale and was practically a little puddle on the floor due to his astonishing lack of spine.  
"It was my fault, sir," I replied. "I'm feeling a bit under the weather and I sneezed. I added a bit too much Goblin blood." The anger vanished from Snape's eyes. Thank goodness the man liked me for some reason.  
"Fine, Mr. Malfoy. Since it was an accident, no points will be deducted from your house," he sighed. I winked at Harry.  
  
Looking back on behavior during those days following the first kiss, I am often amused. I was completely unlike myself. All my previous hatred of Harry had been forgotten in favor of the thrill that his lips sent trough my body. I found myself dreaming about the two of us, dreams that made me blush when I remembered them and blanch when I though about making them a reality. Of course all I had were dreams. I had not touched Harry since my disaster in Potions. The small kiss I had given Harry only had the effect of making me more miserable by reminding me of how soft his lips were.  
  
By the third day, I was a mess. People actually started avoiding me (more than they usually did). Even Pansy didn't bug me as much. I was very moody and irritable. I heard Crabbe whisper to Goyle, "If I didn't know better, I'd think Draco had a bad case of PMS." This made me smile. That insult took some thought, something that I had not thought Crabbe capable of. I quickly returned to my thoughts, which centered on one thing: Harry. His face was so childlike, trusting and innocent. You would think someone who has been killed nearly five times in his life would be sick of it. Not Harry. He was refreshingly, even annoyingly optimistic. And his eyes! Argh! How his eyes tortured me! When I looked into his eyes, I saw a thirst for life that could never be filled- or was that thirst for me? Wow, the egotism of that thought surprised even me. Still, there had to be a reason he sneaked into my dorm. There had to be a reason he had kissed me. Was the thirst in his eyes for me? I couldn't handle it anymore. This was driving me up a wall and back. I had to see him.  
***  
I hoped you liked it, dahlings. Thank you once more for your kind reviews. I'll try to get the next part posted ASAP. Maybe even later today. Keep reviewing, please. Kind words are vitamins for the soul, ere I can say my soul is well-fortified. (Like that one? I made it up especially for you people!)  
Luv ya-  
Silver  



	3. Night with Evil (Not as Bad as It May So...

A/N: I love you guys! (big hug and a tear!)Thank you bunches for your kind reviews, although waiting for them is killing me. This chapter is short, but I'll try to make them longer. My reasoning is that if my chapters are short, I can turn them out faster, but I'll see what I can do. Rosemerta, I'll get to how Harry got into the Slytherin dorm soon, I hope. ^_^ Look for it in Chapter 5 and 6. Beware: about the same time, you might get- A PLOT (Scream in Background)!  
  
For Rinoa14: PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome. Guys say girls have it when they're in a really awful mood.  
  
P.S. Sorry it's so short.  
WARNING:  
(Gotta have one of these for the squeamish among us.) I'm not quite certain what's going to happen later in this chapter, but things might become a bit...um...intense between these two. Please, if you're extremely delicate about that thing or it doesn't make you feel comfortable, by all means don't read this chapter.  
If you'd still like to continue reading other parts of this story, I'll include a brief summary of what happens in the next section and you can still read this without me offending your sensibilities.  
  
Disclaimer, which I keep forgetting: All characters are invented by J.K. Rowling unless noted and placed in hopefully interesting scenarios. If she does not like it, it's her fault for making her characters so awesome and appealing!  
***  
Part Three  
  
Harry tossed and turned in his bed. If he had thought that his nights without knowing what Draco's kiss felt like were torture, it was nothing compared to knowing what it felt like and yearning to feel them again. He could feel a hollow in his chest where all the frustration was knotting up. He sighed and moaned, beating his pillow, anything to get rid of that awful lump in his chest. But it was a persistent knot and didn't budge. In fact, it became worse. It pressed down on him like an enormous stone. He could hardly breathe. Damn it all. It was just like Draco to make him so incredibly miserable. He sat up suddenly. He knew what he had to do. He pulled back the curtains to his bed and nearly cried out in alarm.  
  
Draco clamped his hand over Harry's mouth quickly. "Shhh!" he whispered. He sat on Harry's bed, drawing the curtains behind him.  
"I was just going to see you," Harry whispered back.  
"I couldn't wait anymore. Patience isn't one of my virtues," Draco said.  
"You have virtues?"  
"Yes. I can lure boys to my bed without trying," Draco replied. Harry shot him a look of menace. Draco kissed him softly, slowly. When he pulled away, the anger had vanished from Harry's face. His eyes wore that thirsting look once more. Draco felt very- what? It was a strange mix of emotions: excitement, agitation, and fear. He almost laughed at himself. He was having performance anxiety over Harry Potter. "Oh, for Heaven's sake!" he thought, shaking his head softly.  
"Wha-" Harry began. Draco smiled.  
"No more talking, Harry. I didn't come here to talk," he said.  
  
Draco kissed Harry once more. As he kissed him, he played a little game. He put his tongue in Harry's mouth and when Harry came to meet Draco's tongue with his own, he'd pull it back little by little, enjoying Harry's mounting passion and frustration. Harry felt Draco's fingers deftly unbutton his pajama top. Draco's lips shifted to his ear. He removed Harry's shirt and ran his hand lightly over Harry's chest. "Let me know what you like," he whispered, his voice very soft. Harry didn't even think of forming words. He just nodded. He unfastened Draco's robe- had he not been able to sleep either? "Good," Harry thought. "He just as anxious as I am." It was some comfort to him that the boy who pushed him back gently against the pillows now had also been craving this, even if it was to be expected since he had bothered to sneak in here to begin with. He felt Draco's bare flesh against his and he shivered. It was delicious. Draco ran his fingers lightly down Harry's sides. Harry's laugh gave way to a sharp gasp and a groan as Draco shoved his hand down his pants.  
  
Draco laughed softly. Loving Mockery, if such a thing could exist. Draco gave a gentle squeeze. Harry moaned, arching his back and shutting his eyes tightly. Draco removed his hand and brushed Harry's hair away from his face. Harry kissed him desperately. "Say my name," Draco requested.  
"God, I'll say anything you like, just don't stop," Harry promised. Draco smiled, glad to oblige. In a few minutes Harry found himself running his fingers through Draco's white-blonde hair, in the grip of fierce emotions and praying that no one woke up. He would be strongly tempted to strangle them. He gave small cries of pleasure, interspersed with soft repetitions of Draco's name. Draco felt the evil urge to make Harry scream his name. He was successful. Harry's impassioned cry roused Neville. "Harry?" he called timidly, "are you all right?"  
Draco fought back a giggle as Harry, in a very strained voice, replied, "Fine, Neville, just- ahhh- just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep."   
  
A few moments later, Draco lay next to Harry, giggling madly. "You-"Harry said sternly, touching his finger to Draco's nose, "are decidedly evil." Draco let a slight bit of hurt show in his face. "But," Harry continued, leaning in for a kiss, "I love you for it."  
****  
  
What did you think? Really, I want to know. This part gave me a lot of problems. By the by, I didn't realize just how many authors there were with the name Silver. Please forgive my oversight. Had I known, I would have come up with a slightly more original name. So, if you ever need to distinguish between Silvers, look for the little rose (@)~~~~~~ or ***. That'll be me.   
Please review. I can't keep going without them...creativity waning...eyesight fuzzy- oh wait, that's normal :) please review!  



	4. A Concussion and Some Nightmares...

A/N: Hello, m'dears! I really, really should be working on my other HP fan fic, but I can't stop this one!!! Thank you very much for your kind comments and compliments. I could breathe again once I knew that you liked part three! I'm glad you feel it keeps getting better and better. I was fearing the opposite.  
  
Thank yous to: Raggona, Krissy, netty, Sweet Eowyn, Mizery(I read pretty when you cry and loved it.) and everyone reading this right now.  
  
  
For those of you who skipped part three: Harry woke Neville up in his... excitement, for lack of a better word. Neville goes back to sleep. Harry calls Draco evil, but says he loves him for it.  
  
Harry has offered to share his POV- he felt it wasn't fair that Draco got to tell part of his own story when it was Harry who got things started.  
  
P.S. This is a kind of a flashback.  
  
***  
Part Four  
I smiled and stroked the place where his head had lain on the pillow. I was content. The lump in my chest was gone. That awful hunger was satiated for the time being. I realized that at that point there should be a voice inside my head screaming "You let Draco Malfoy do WHAT? He put his hands WHERE? ARE YOU COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR MIND?" That part of me, however, had up and left a while ago. Apparently, losing one's mind was a prerequisite for being attracted to Draco.  
  
It had started innocently enough. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought it would have ended up like this- Well alright, maybe in my wildest, but let's not get into that. Back to my story. Neville was absent from Potions due to some sort of accident. No one could say precisely what. I suspected from spasms of mischievous glee flitting across Draco's face that he was somehow responsible. Of course when the time came to break into pairs, he and I were the only two people left.  
  
I sat down next to him without a word. Already I had had a terrible day. Peeves had waited for me to step on the rug outside the entrance to the dungeons and yanked it out from under me. Quite unfortunately for me, I had gone tumbling down the steps and landed in a heap right in front of Snape's classroom. At least the door was closed. That meant nobody had witnessed my humiliating and wondrously ungraceful descent down the stairs.This was the bitter icing on top of the cake. I was too breathless and sore to say anything to Draco.  
  
He felt differently. "'Lo, Potter," he said quietly. I was amazed.  
"What? No insults?"  
"I'm in a very good humor today." Poor Neville! Whatever Draco did to him must have been horrible.  
"You? In a good humor?" If I weren't in pain, I would've laughed.  
"Why can't I be?"  
"I've seen your family. I'm pretty certain there's a Malfoy family rule that forbids being happy without first causing acute suffering," I replied grouchily. He laughed, not a snicker, but an honest laugh.  
"H'm. I dare say you're right. The rule book's so thick, I generally use it as a step stool."  
"Is it really?" I asked, before I could stop myself.  
"It's about this big," he said, gesturing with his arms to indicate a rather large book about six inches high.  
"How do they expect you to live up to all that?"  
"I don't know," he replied softly.   
  
We lapsed into an awkward silence, aware that we had just had our first conversation. He turned his attention to the potion we were supposed to be brewing. I watched him as he carefully measured and added ingredients. His lips pursed in thought and his normal unpleasant look was replaced with one of pure concentration. "He's actually cute without that smirk," I thought to myself. Where did THAT come from? A non-insulting thought about Draco Malfoy? I must've developed a concussion on the way down the stairs. I immediately dismissed it as a random though that would pass, but it didn't. It was just a starting point.  
  
I was irresistibly drawn to stare at him. He didn't notice. He was too busy with the potion. "Stir it, Potter," he said. I did, very carefully. I had a feeling he'd kill me if I messed it up after all the hard work he'd done. He went to add the unicorn hair to the potion. I grabbed his wrist gently. He looked at me in astonishment. "That goes in last. I was paying attention for that part," I explained. He gently tugged his hand free and nodded.   
  
Snape came over and looked at our potion. Being that close to Snape always made me feel all warm and nauseous inside. I noted with surprise that Draco didn't look too pleased either. "Congratulations, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter. Unlike everyone else, you got the potion right. The calming potion should not be bubbling and frothing. It should be glassy and smooth. Five points to Slytherin- and Gryffindor," Snape said sounding extremely pained to have to say that last bit. "You are dismissed."  
"Nice job, Potter. Couldn't have done it without me," Draco said.  
"Have you ever even heard of modesty?"  
"What do I have to be modest about? I'm perfect."  
"Yeah, perfectly annoying," I retorted. He grinned and dashed off, leaving me with a strange fluttering in my stomach.  
  
^_^  
  
"Oh, God, this isn't happening. This is NOT happening!" I moaned, banging my head against a wall. Maybe I figured that if a concussion caused all this, another one would undo it. No such luck. I continued banging my head anyway."Why me? Of all people, why me? Why him? Anybody but him!" I gave up on the wall. It was giving me nothing but a headache.   
  
Over the past week or so I had found myself becoming attracted to Draco Malfoy. It had absolutely nothing to do with his personality. I knew that. I still couldn't stand to hear him speak. I was *physically* attracted to Draco Malfoy. I *wanted* him. I had fleeting thoughts that had no business being in my head. In fact, I just had one of them. "Is that even possible?" I whispered. "No, never mind if it's possible. It's not happening. This is never, ever going to happen-" *Why not?* asked a little voice in my head. "Why not! Why not! This is Malfoy we're talking about..." I trailed off, realizing that I was having a conversation with myself. I collapsed onto the floor. "It's happened. I've gone completely nuts. Next thing you know I'll talk about joining Lord Voldemort or giving up Quidditch." No, I'd have to be dead before I'd give up Quidditch.  
  
Things only went downhill from there. I *could not* stop staring at Malfoy. I knew every line in his face, especially his lips. Ack! No fair! I was being attacked from too many sides!I had my - gulp- desire for Malfoy on one hand, my constant protestings against myself on the other, and on the mysterious third hand, Cho was starting to pay attention to me. Too bad, really. I didn't want Cho anymore.   
  
After a few weeks, I couldn't stand it anymore. At the rate I was going, they were going to lock me up in St. Mungo's and throw away the key. I might still end up there. I made up my mind that I had to do something. I checked the Marauder's Map. There was a secret passage leading to the Slytherin common room from the dungeons. Screw that! I decide to go for the more direct approach. Materials needed: one Slytherin, an invisibility cloak, and a completely bonkers Gryffindor. Well, what do you know, I was in luck...  
  
It was early yet. With the Marauder's Map, I was able to find a Slytherin very easily. Pansy Parkinson was on her way to the Slytherin common room now. I manage to catch up with her in my invisibility cloak. She paused in front a stone wall and whispered the password. A door opened. I smiled to myself and ran back to Gryffindor Tower feeling very grateful to Pansy.  
  
Later that night, I sneaked into the Slytherin dorms with the password I had gotten from Pansy, even though it hurt me to say it. (It figures that the password would be "Potter Stinks.") I easily found the way to Draco's dorm. After an intense argument with myself, I kissed him, and you know the rest.  
  
^_^  
  
After awhile, going down to breakfast didn't cause me the usual amount of pain anymore. I was actually very glad to see Draco at the Slytherin table. It was Neville I didn't want to see. Neville looked quite embarrassed for his part and I wondered not for the first time what it was that he actually heard.   
  
"Morning, Harry," Hermione said. "Sleep well?"  
"Actually, no," I told her brightly. "Nightmares."  
"Again?" Ron asked. "You've been having nightmares all week. You woke me up last night with one of your nightmares."  
"Sorry," I replied, grinning sheepishly.  
"You woke me up Wednesday," said Seamus.  
"And me Tuesday," added Dean.  
"Sorry," I replied once more. Draco had been sneaking into our dorm all week. Unfortunately, we kept waking people up. I started to consider the neccessity of a sleeping potion.   
  
"What I don't understand is that if you've been having nightmares all week, how the hell are you so damn chipper in the morning?" Ron demanded. I shrugged.  
"What are your nightmares about?" inquired Hermione.  
"Draco," I replied cheerfully. I blushed when I realized I should have called him Malfoy and sounded a bit more disturbed.   
"That makes sense," said Seamus.  
"How does that make sense?" she asked.  
"Harry keeps screaming his name in his sleep," Dean replied. Oh,God! Talk about mortification! It paled in comparison to what I felt then. I felt a pressing desire to be anywhere but here.  
"What happens in these dreams?" she asked.  
"I'd rather not say," I replied. "Oops! I forgot to do my Charms homework!" I lied. I jumped up quickly and ran out of the Great Hall.   
  
Someone grabbed my hand and pulled me into a nearby closet. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who. "Draco!" I exclaimed. He smiled at me.   
"You were expecting someone else?"  
"Actually, yeah. I promised Snape I'd meet him in the dungeons for a quick snog...Of course I'm not." He scowled at me.  
"That was not funny," he said  
"Yes, it was. You mean you actually thought I was serious?" He didn't answer. "You did!"   
"What can I say? I'm the possessive type," he said quietly.   
"Tell me something I don't know," I replied, kissing him.  
"Fine. I found a new place for us to meet."  
"Where?"  
"Meet me tonight at midnight. Outside of the dungeons."  
"Dungeons?"  
"Don't look at me like that. You'll like it. I promise."  
  
***  
^_^ Does it meet with your approval, dears? I hope it does. Any ideas for Harry and Draco's hiding spot? I'm open for suggestions. Please review.  
  
Luv ya-  
Silver 


	5. I love You

A/N: Darlings, thanks for your reviews. I've been doing some reading and a lot of these stories sound exactly the same, but with little differences. If you catch something that's similar to another story, it was unintended.  
  
WARNING: For those with delicate nerves, things will get involved later. If you don't want to read it, you won't miss much. The next chapter should be okay.  
  
***  
Part Five  
  
"Boo!" Harry cried, sneaking up behind Draco. Draco whirled around and kissed Harry deeply.  
"You're early," he said.  
"I couldn't wait," Harry replied breathlessly.  
"That's alright. It'll take us sometime to get there," Draco said, putting an arm around Harry's waist. He felt Harry shiver.   
"Where?" he asked. Draco leaned in. His tongue drew a line from Harry's collarbone to his ear. Harry shivered and closed his eyes. God, it was wonderful to feel him shiver like that. It was probably a sin unto itself. Yes, carved in a stone tablet somewhere: "Thou shalt not make the Boy Who Lived shiver in ecstasy and like it."  
Draco smiled at that thought. He flicked his tongue over Harry's neck again, reveling in his reaction. *This is no good. At this rate, I'll end up taking Harry right here and now, * he thought. This did have a certain appeal, but he figured it best to stick to his original plan.   
"Now, now," he whispered, "if I tell you, it would ruin the surprise."  
  
He led Harry through the twisted maze of the dungeons and paused before what appeared to be a collapsed tunnel. "Now what?" Harry whispered.  
"We continue, of course," Draco replied. He stepped into the rubble and disappeared. His hand appeared a moment later beckoning for Harry to join him. He did. It was like the barrier at King's Cross Station. They walked through a long tunnel for an age. Finally, they came to a small set of stairs leading to a trap door.   
  
"We're not in Hogwarts anymore, are we?" Harry asked. Draco shook his head.   
"No, we're in someplace much better. Close your eyes." Harry did obediently and let Draco lead him up the stairs. Harry could feel the delicious warmth of a fire spreading over him.  
"Go on. Look," Draco said.  
  
Harry opened his eyes and nearly choked on an exclamation of surprise. Whatever he had been expecting from Draco, it wasn't this, especially after going through the dungeons. It was a cottage, a small three-room cottage. In the main room, there was a large fireplace with a roaring fire. In front of the fireplace were two inviting leather chairs. There was also a low table topped with what Harry recognized as dragon hide. He stroked it appreciatively. "You remembered," he said, grinning at Draco.  
"Why are you so surprised I remember your self-confessed 'unusual' attraction to dragon hide?"  
"I didn't think you were listening," Harry admitted.  
"Something like that promises lots of fun in the future, so naturally I was listening," Draco replied with a grin of his own. Harry glanced curiously at the other two doors. "Feel free," Draco said, gesturing toward them.  
  
Harry opened the door to his left. It contained a very charming bathroom with a pedestal sink and one of those old-fashioned cast iron tubs with claws. It was nothing spectacular, but it was decidedly cute. It was behind the second door, however, that made Harry smile. It was a bedroom. It contained it's own little fireplace, a little nightstand with a single rose and a very large four-poster bed piled high with pillows and blankets.   
  
"Do you like it?" Draco inquired, coming up behind Harry and kissing his ear.  
"It's adorable!" gasped Harry.  
"And the nearest house is about a mile away. We can have as many 'nightmares' as we like," Draco added. Harry turned to face him.   
"Let's get started then," he said.  
  
Draco didn't have time to respond before he felt Harry's tongue in his mouth. *Well, it's not like I was going to protest anyway. * He felt Harry's hands unfastening his robe. * My, he is eager tonight, isn't he? * "Slow down," he whispered. "We have all night." Harry smiled.  
"Yes, but I've been waiting all day," he replied. He kissed Draco again, his mouth burning like fire, his tongue moving luxuriously slow. It was fortunate that Harry had one arm locked around Draco's waist because his knees went weak as everything slowly faded away.  
  
Bereft of Harry's lips, he felt the urgency of his own desire. He kissed Harry and began to undo his robe. His own robe fell to the floor and Harry's hands ran wantonly over his body. Harry moved his tongue to Draco's ear. Draco gasped and melted in his arms. Harry's lips traveled to his neck, his shoulders and back to his lips again.  
  
Harry lay him on the bed and began to explore Draco's body with his tongue. This time it was he who shivered not Harry. Draco moaned. He was caught up in rapture. He cried Harry's name softly. Harry's face appeared above his shoulder. His finger traced a path along Draco's chest. "Mmmm," he said with an innocent smile. "You called?"  
"Mm- God, Harry, don't stop now," Draco sighed, eyes half-closed. Harry seemed perfectly content to stop and nuzzle Draco for a moment. He turned him over and kissed him tenderly on the back of his neck whispering, "Don't worry, darling. I'm not done with you yet." Draco didn't have time to ask him what he meant when he felt Harry slide inside of him.  
  
Draco groaned. Waves of pleasure washed over him, claiming him as their own. Willingly he gave himself over to them. He could hear the dim roar of blood pounding in his ears, feel Harry's hands on his hips and his lips on his spine. It seemed like this was how it always was and how it would always be, as if they had been doing this since the dawn of time. Even so, it was over all too soon and left them gasping in each other's arms.  
  
Draco lifted himself on one elbow to look at Harry. He removed his glasses with utmost care. Harry didn't move. He just wanted to enjoy this moment. Draco's fingers played lightly across his lips. Harry grabbed them and kissed them. He looked up at Draco, eyes burning, and said," I love you, Draco." Draco made a strangled noise in his throat.  
  
  
***  
I should so leave you hanging breathlessly for a week waiting for the next chapter! And I- won't! I wouldn't do that to you guys if I could help it, and I can! Review, review, parting is such sweet sorrow... (Yes, I am perfectly aware that I am insane, thank you.)  
  
Luv ya-  
Silver  
  
  



	6. No More Questions

A/N: My darlings, I feared that this section would be very... untasteful. It turned out to be very touching.   
  
I hope you enjoy reading this section.  
  
***  
Part Six  
  
I know what you're thinking. " 'Fess up, you miserable little bastard! You just wanted get into Harry's pants!" I wish I could say that was true.  
  
Sure, I told myself that the only reason I kept sneaking off to Harry's bed at night was because he had a wonderful way with his hands and tongue that felt oh so delicious, not to mention a great liking for accessories. For someone who everyone thought was so innocent, Harry had a few interesting-bordering-on-downright-disturbing quirks. He always managed to leave me panting, weak with delight. It didn't matter if we were kissing or uh...a little bit more involved than that. He was good.   
  
I told myself that I could stop going to him anytime I pleased, that this was just a short term thing that would work it's way out of my system. When it was over, it would be nothing more than a fling- an experiment.   
  
I never admitted to myself that Harry was and never could be just a fling, but I knew it. I knew it like I knew the fragrance of his skin, the taste of his lips, the silkiness of his wayward hair. He touched every fiber of my being. His lovely green eyes could see through the depths of my very soul. I felt so naked looking into those eyes. His kisses filled a hollow space within me. Nightly I collapsed into his arms, my lips resting against his skin, feeling at peace with everything. Such soft skin he had. Rose petals wept tears of envy over his skin. His hands would caress me slowly and it was like we belonged together. I belonged here, in his arms. For me there was nothing outside of them.  
  
I had never allowed myself to think in such terms. Until tonight, that is. I thought my heart would break when he looked at me and said very simply, "I love you, Draco." I was breathless for a moment. No one had ever said those words to me, no one. Yet, here was Harry Potter, who for some reason he still had not explained came into my dorm one night and turned everything upside down with a kiss, lying naked in my arms, looking up at me with those gorgeous eyes, confessing candidly that he loved me.   
  
I couldn't speak. Every time I tried, my throat would close up and tears threatened to spill down my cheeks. Finally, I just gave up and buried my face into his shoulder. He kissed me very gently on the forehead. That did it. I felt tears rushing down my cheeks, liquid fire falling from my eyes and trickling onto Harry's shoulder. I felt his arms tighten around me, his kisses falling upon me like rain. Still the tears flowed. Oh, God, now he was crying too. I took his face in my hands. "Harry, Harry love, why are you crying?" I asked.  
"Because you are," he replied. That was no help. I began to cry in earnest then. I hadn't cried in years, and now I was bawling like a baby because Harry had said seven words to me over the course of three minutes.  
  
"Draco, why so upset? I'll take it back. Please stop crying," he pleaded.  
"Don't you dare," I said through stifled sobs. "You take it back and I swear, I'll kill you." I wiped my eyes.   
"Well, then why?"  
"I love you, Harry. Please, no more questions." He nodded solemnly and gathered me in his arms.   
  
It was all incredibly unfair. It was so unfair how those little words could express something so great. It wasn't fair how easily he affected me. It wasn't fair that it took us this long to get to where we were now. It wasn't fair that I loved him so much. The entire thing was unfair, especially that last one.  
  
***  
;_; Boo hoo hoo! I wrote something that made me cry! I've never done that before. Please, tell me what you think! Is it too sappy?  
  
Q: What does a fish say when he runs into a concrete wall?  
A: Damn!  
Hehe! I know it was corny, but I couldn't stand the tears.  
  
Luv ya!  
Silver  
  



	7. Honey?

A/N: Did I ever tell you guys I love you? Of course I do, right after each chapter. Well, I mean it. I love you. The only reason I keep this story going is that I don't want to disappoint you. I'm even thinking of writing a follow up- if there's anything to follow up, of course.  
  
As some of you have noticed, this fic is progressing very quickly. Don't blink! You might miss me posting a chapter. Look for one almost every day.  
  
Draco is glaring at me right now because I keep looking at him and thinking "Awww. You cried!" Who cares? He's good for humor and decoration and perhaps some... other things, but I'd have to ask Harry about that. *Grins evilly*  
  
Thanks to: Warui Nekochan!, Lindsay Beth, princess_katrina, Tinuviel 182, Rosemerta, Raggona & Hotaru, SexiManda, Tenchi Kaze, Adeline, Di-Chan, CrystalStarGuardian, and my dear Krissy, who faithfully reviews every chapter!   
  
Warnings: Is this where things get complicated? H'm...I wonder. (Really I do. I have no idea what happens next ^.^)  
***  
Part Seven  
  
Harry woke up, much to his dismay, in his own bed back in his dorm. Was last night just a dream? He almost thought so for a moment, but the delight he felt on this bitterly cold morning was too real. It hadn't been a dream. He loved Draco. And Draco loved him back. He hugged his knees tightly and beamed at no one in particular. Everything was perfect and nothing, nothing was going to go wrong today.  
  
He went down to breakfast late, but no one noticed. It has been his habit lately to come down to breakfast after everyone else. "Good morning," he called cheerfully.  
"I'd like to see what's so bloody good about it," Ron muttered. "We have a huge test in Potions right after breakfast!"  
"Test?" echoed Harry.  
"Yes, test! Honestly Harry, where have you been? Snape's been going on about this test for weeks," Hermione snapped. Harry shrugged.  
"I forgot. Sue me," he replied casually.  
"Sue you! Snape's going to spit you and roast you over a fire if you fail that test," Seamus said.  
"Especially if you keep grinning like an idiot," Ron added.  
"Must be because he's gotten his first full night's sleep in days. I know that's one reason I'm not miserable- at least I'll be awake for Snape's test," Dean said. Harry blushed. Neville turned his head.  
"What?" he said. "No nightmares, Harry?"   
"Well-"Harry replied, "one small nightmare. It wasn't too horrible though." Neville smiled a little at him and Harry was grateful. If Neville did know what was going on, he was certain he wouldn't tattle on him.  
  
Harry became aware that a hush had fallen quite suddenly over the Gryffindor table. Ron was shooting looks of pure venom over Harry's shoulder, and Hermione bristled in disdain. Harry looked very slowly over his shoulder. "Ahh!" he cried, dropping his toast. "For heaven's sake, Malfoy! What are you doing sneaking around behind me?" Draco's eyes narrowed. He had caught the slight pause before Harry called had slipped and called him Draco.   
"So it's true then, " Draco said with a sneer.   
"What's true?"  
"I heard that I've been terrifying you out of your wits in your dreams, Potter." Draco's voice was low, but it lacked its usual edge.  
"Rest be assured that it's only because in my nightmares, you and I are the only two people left on Earth and suicide is out of the question," Harry replied. He heard Ron snicker. Harry caught Draco's eye. *Please, please don't believe any of it.* Draco nodded.  
"Was there something you wanted?" Hermione asked sharply. *God, she gets more and more like McGonagall every day, * Draco thought.  
"Actually, there was," he said. He held out his hand to Harry. "May I?"  
"May you what? Drop dead? By all means, go right ahead," Harry retorted. Draco winced slightly. *Too convincing, Harry.*   
"Dance, you incredibly harsh insult to the human race. I'm asking you to dance with me."  
"Why?"  
"Why not? Chicken?"  
"Please, you wouldn't know bravery if it slapped you in the face. It's one of the many things you are deficient in," Harry said.  
"Let's go then."   
"You're on."   
  
He took Draco's hand and let him lead him to a fairly open spot in the Great Hall. "You were pushing it, Harry," Draco whispered.   
"I'm sorry. I didn't -"  
"I know, but still...Next time can't you just punch me?"  
"Punch you?"  
"Yes, just slug me in the stomach. It'll hurt like hell but I can deal with physical pain."  
"Fine. Why are we doing this?"  
"Dare from Pansy. Good excuse to touch you." Harry felt his cheeks go red.   
"But there's no music," Harry said. He spoke too soon. A waltz started to drift through the Great Hall. "Draco, I can't dance."  
"Yes, you can."  
"No, really, I can't-"  
"You can. You just don't know it yet."   
  
Draco smirked. "What is it?" Harry asked.  
"Pansy's terrible. That's an incredibly advanced step." Harry felt nervous. "Don't worry. I'll walk you through it." He did, counting slowly and doing his best to cover Harry's mistakes. After awhile Harry got the hang of it and they made a fine figure as they twirled past the staff table. Harry could have died happy at the look of unspeakable disgust and surprise on Snape's face. The music started to come to an end. "Oh, yeah," Draco said, grinning. "There was one thing I forgot to mention."  
"What's that?"  
"I'm supposed to kiss you."  
"Come again?"  
"That's right. I'm supposed to kiss you in front of everyone. Pansy's insanely jealous that Snape keeps partnering us in Potions and she insists that I must love you or something."  
"What?"  
"Just act repulsed, Harry."  
  
The music stopped. Draco leaned forward and kissed him. It took all of Harry's will power to avoid melting into his arms and push him away. Draco smiled at him. Harry punched him in the stomach. Draco smiled and punched him back. Soon they were rolling around on the ground, punching the living daylights out of each other. Hagrid pulled them apart.  
"Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Potter! What is the meaning of all of this?" Professor McGonagall demanded. Neither of them answered. "Fine. Fifty points from Slytherin and Gryffindor. Both of you go see Madame Pomfrey. You will be given your detention notices later!"   
  
"Yes, Professor," they mumbled contritely.  
  
"Harry, I know you were trying to make it convincing, but was the knee in the crotch really necessary?" Draco asked. Harry's hands flew to his mouth.  
"Did I-" Draco nodded. "God! I'm so sorry! I don't know-"  
"Don't worry about it," Draco said with a dismissive wave. "Let's hope there are no permanent injuries. That would be the end of the Malfoy bloodline for sure." Harry laughed.  
"Trust you to make a joke at a time like this."  
"Well, look at is this way- our faces are intact."  
"Except for the elbow to my nose."  
"That was a complete accident! I happen to like your face. Although I like it better when you don't have a bloody nose. Our other faces are intact."   
"No one will ever suspect-"  
"Not after the ass-kicking we gave each other. They'll just assume we hate each other more than ever."  
  
"Goodness! What happened to you?" Madame Pomfrey asked as they walked into the hospital wing.   
"We happened," Draco replied sourly.   
"Your nose is broken," she told Harry.  
"Thanks, Malfoy," he said.  
"You have a broken rib," she informed Draco.  
"No problem, Potter. Glad to see you returned the favor."  
Madame Pomfrey sighed, "I don't see how you two are going to go back to class. You'll have to stay here all day to recover." Draco caught the look of glee in Harry's eye. He met it with a small smile. Today promised to be fun.  
  
He was right of course. Half the day was spent stealing kisses from Harry despite painful protests from his rib and Harry's nose. Madame Pomfrey couldn't figure out for the life of her why their injuries were twice as long as normal to heal. Getting to dinner that night took a lot of time simply because they kept stopping every few feet for a kiss.  
  
"Let's not go to dinner," Harry suggested.  
"They'll probably hand us our detention notices at dinner."  
"Already got them from Hermione," Harry announced, waving a piece of parchment. Draco snatched it.  
"Filch! Ugh! I'd rather eat dirt."  
"Let's skip it then."  
"Skip it? Are you, St. Harry of Potter, suggesting we forego our rightfully earned punishment? Why would we ever do such a thing?" Draco asked with a smile. Harry kissed him.  
"We could go to the cottage instead."  
"Oh my! You're suggesting we break several school rules to indulge in- gulp-sexual activity?" Draco asked in mock horror.  
"Why not?"  
"Do you know what they'd do to us if we skipped a detention?"  
"No," Harry confessed.  
"They'd probably let Filch use those manacles in his office."  
"Sounds like fun."  
"Harry!"  
"Sorry."  
  
"Dragon hide and handcuffs," Draco sighed.  
"You forgot whipped cream."  
"Of course! How could I be so stupid as to forget whipped cream?"  
"I don't know. You seemed to like it pretty well."  
"I did, I did! Anything else?"  
"No- oh, wait- honey."  
"Honey?"  
"Yes and stuffed bunny rabbits."  
"What?" Draco cried. Harry grinned.  
"Just kidding about that last one."  
"H'm..."  
"I was!"  
"Harry?"  
"Yes?"  
"About that honey thing?"  
"Yes?"  
"Let's try it."  
"Okay."   
"Where are you going?" Draco called.  
"Dinner," answered Harry.  
"But the dungeons are that way," Draco said. Harry smiled.  
***  
^_^ What say you, dears? So things haven't gotten complicated. I know it had absolutely nothing to do with anything, but it was screaming "Write me!" Who am I to ignore the voices inside my head? What happens next? Actually, I think we have a good idea what happens next, but where should I pick up?  
  
Luv ya-  
Silver 


	8. Neville to the Rescue

A/N: Hello, darlings! (If that's getting annoying, let me know. I'll find other endearing names to overuse.) I was reading this over and I said, "What was I thinking? This is so not even worth an R." Naturally I have some choices.  
1. Bump it down to PG-13   
2. Make it worth an R  
  
I don't know, dears. Let see where the bouncing muse takes us, shall we?  
  
Thanks to: Crystal, Becks, kjersti,Sweet Eowyn (I'll try to write lots more for you),Adelina, and of course Krissy, my fellow Dracoholic! *grins*   
  
My friend Heather's gonna kill me! This is the 10 time I've stopped writing a story she was reading because inspiration delivered a new idea. Maybe if I beg she'll let me finish this one before she offs me!  
  
P.S. Glad you all enjoyed the random dancing!  
***  
Part Eight  
  
I stumbled into the common room after a very late night session with Draco to find myself faced with a number of very ticked people. "Harry, where have you been?" asked Hermione. This didn't seem the time to tell her that I had been having sex with Draco on a table topped with dragon hide, so I resorted to lying. Did I mention I was a horrible liar?  
"Detention," I replied calmly.  
"Until four in the morning?" Ron asked.  
"Dungeons aren't that bad," said George.  
"Yeah, and we'd know," sighed Fred.  
"It took time," I insisted.  
"Why weren't you at dinner?" demanded Hermione.  
"I was in the infirmary," I lied.  
"Nice try, Harry. We checked there," said Seamus. Damn!  
"Madame Pomfrey said that both you and Draco had been released an hour before dinner," Dean said.  
"Malfoy wasn't at dinner either," Fred remarked.  
"You're right," said Ron. Double damn! At this rate, they were going to figure it all out. I tried to stay calm. Neville seemed pale enough for the both of us.  
  
"Where were you?" Hermione asked, pushing me against a wall.   
"I don't see how that's any damn of your business," I said coldly. She looked hurt. For an instant I regretted saying that.  
"You have no right to talk to her like that!" Ron yelled.   
"Oh god, why don't you just screw her already and get it over with?" Shit, I was starting to sound like Draco. I didn't care. I needed a distraction and Ron beating me senseless seemed like a good one.  
"You bastard," he hissed.  
"Is that the best you can do?" I taunted. Then I went a step too far. I sneered at him. He socked me hard in the stomach. I doubled over, but that contemptible smile never left my face. He raised his fist to hit me again.  
"Ron! Stop it!" Neville cried, stepping between us.  
"Move aside, Neville," Ron commanded, his voice low and menacing.  
"I will not! Look at you, Ron. You're ready to bash your best friend's skull in! Need I remind you that he has already been in a fight today and is quite obviously not himself?"  
Ron lowered his fist.   
"Fine, but get him out of my sight." Neville nodded and helped me upstairs.  
  
"Thanks, Neville," I wheezed as he set me on my bed.  
"I would first like to say that you're a terrible liar."  
"Fair enough," I laughed.  
"Secondly, you can't provoke your best friend every time someone starts to catch on."  
"Catch on to what?"  
"Please, Harry. How astoundingly stupid do you think I am? It's not that hard to figure out that you're being quite naughty with Draco Malfoy, especially after the night you woke me up," Neville said. My respect for Neville increased greatly.   
"What exactly did you hear?" I asked him.  
"A hell of a lot more than I ever wanted to. But, Harry- Malfoy?"  
"I know."  
"I don't think you quite get it. Let me repeat it for emphasis. Malfoy?"  
"I know. You don't know how much I wanted to believe it wasn't true."  
"I've got a pretty good idea. I saw you moping about for days after Snape paired up you and Malfoy. But still- Malfoy?" I laughed and winced immediately after. "Thirdly, you need to get better at sneaking out. Think, Harry. You've been nearly caught when it was just you. You'll have to be more careful now that it's you and Malfoy, especially with the noises you two make."  
"Sorry," I replied sheepishly.  
"Don't apologize to me. After the second night, I wised up and asked Gran to send me some earplugs. Can't hear a thing," Neville said briskly.  
  
"Why do you do it?" I asked him.  
"Do what?"  
"Lead us on."  
"Oh, you mean act like a hopeless, oblivious dunce?"  
"Not hopeless," I said. He laughed.  
"You're right. Completely hopeless. Not all of it is an act. But I keep it up so people will leave me alone."  
"About?"  
"My parents."  
"Oh," I said.  
"I knew you knew. I'm actually quite observant."  
"You've been duping us all these years?"  
"Yep. You never suspected a thing."  
"Neville?"  
"Yes?"  
"Why are you doing this for me?"  
"Because you're the hopeless one, and somebody's got to watch out for you."  
"Thanks, Neville."  
"Good night, Harry."  
"'Night, Neville."  
  
I heard stifled laughter in the dark. "What?" I asked tiredly.  
"Honestly, Harry- Malfoy?"  
"Good night, Neville," I called crossly.  
"Good night, Harry." Again came the stifled laughter.  
"Shut up, Neville."   
"You want to use a set of earplugs? I might be at this for awhile."  
  
***  
  
^_^ What did you think of Neville? If this chapter seems to be very odd, it's because it was written while under the influence of bad kool-aid, sugar flowers and sauerkraut. Don't let that stop you from reviewing.  
  
Luv ya!  
Silver  



	9. Suggestions

A/N: I love you! ^_^ All of you. Even if you're a mean person who couldn't take the time to review. Those of you that reviewed, you get a big hug, and hopefully a chapter you'll all enjoy.  
  
Thanks to: Cat Samwise, Rosemerta (I know my lunch sounds disgusting, but the muses weren't speaking to me and I had to turn to sugar!), CrystalStarGuardian, Bellerophon (There's nothing wrong with being insane. *HUG*) and my dear Krissy, who makes Draco look oh so cute in a bunny suit!  
Wait, a few more thanks for princessbombss, ExCueTee, Al, Tinuviel182, maidmarian62, Glace de Slytherin, and Blah blah blah, for whom the changes to chapter one were made!  
  
Glad you liked Neville's moment to shine! Hope to include more of Harry and Draco doing what they do best...each other! (evil grin)   
  
***  
Part Nine  
  
Somehow Valentine's Day sneaked up on Harry. He just went to bed one night and when he woke up the next morning was nearly frightened to death when Valentine's Day pounced on him screaming gleefully, "I'm here! I'm here! I'm here and you didn't get Draco a present! Hehehe!"  
"Damn. Knew I forgot something," Harry said. He lay there considering possible ways to make up for this. "Hey, wait. Today's Saturday." At this point Saturday jumped out from under Harry's bed and made several weird faces before retreating back to its hiding place.  
  
A rapping at the window interrupted his thoughts. He stumbled out of bed and opened it. An eagle owl was holding a package for him wrapped in silver ribbon. Harry had no doubt whom it was from. Neither did Neville. "You didn't get him anything, did you?" Neville asked.   
"No," Harry confessed.  
"What are you going to get him?"  
"I don't know."  
"Understandable. What do you get the boy who has everything?"  
"Is pointing the obvious part of looking out for me?" Harry snapped.  
"Only when you can't see it," replied Neville.  
"What am I not seeing?"  
"Moron, get him something he can't buy."  
"Oh!" Harry said. It was so simple. "Like what?"  
"Oh goodness! Here we are, ladies and gentlemen, living proof you can't be athletic and smart."  
"Hey!"  
"Write him a poem or do something romantic with him- far away from here, please." Harry glared at him.  
"You know, I think I liked you a whole lot better when I thought you were an idiot."  
"H'm. Aren't you going to open it?" Neville asked.  
  
Harry did. Inside was a pair of finely etched silver handcuffs. Harry blushed. "Kinky," Neville said. Harry looked at him.  
"Harry, do I look like a first year to you? Oh look, there's a note. 'Bring the handcuffs. I'll bring the whipped cream and stuffed bunny rabbits.' Oh God," Neville said, clutching his face. "Oh dear God!"  
"What is it?" Harry asked with concern.  
"I just got an awful mental picture. That'll give me nightmares of the normal variety for days."  
"Serves you right," Harry said maliciously.  
  
He ignored Neville's horrified look and took out a piece of parchment and a quill. What could he get Draco for Valentine's Day? Harry laughed at himself. Never in a million years would he have thought that he would be trying to get a present for Draco Malfoy.  
  
"What am I going to do?"  
"Write him a poem," repeated Neville.  
"I'll die before I write bad poetry to anyone, especially Draco."  
"Tell him why you love him."  
"Oh, let me think. 'One day I hated you then a fell down a flight of stairs and all of a sudden I thought you were cute.' That won't cut it, Neville."  
"I said why, not when or how. If you don't like my ideas, bugger off."  
"You're not helping."  
"You're not thinking. The only other suggestion I have is to go wherever you go, do whatever it is you do, do it damn well, and neglect to tell me anything about it!" Harry looked at Neville for a moment before breaking into a smile.   
"Thanks, Neville."  
  
Luckily the first person he ran into was Draco. He kissed him hard. "Happy Valentine's Day!"  
"Indeed. Like your present?"  
"Yes, they're beautiful, but-"  
"But?"  
"I didn't get you a present."  
"You are my present."  
"How?"  
"You could have anybody you wanted. You're Harry Potter, the-" Harry placed a finger to his mouth.  
"Call me the Boy Who Lived and I swear I'll punch your gorgeous face in. Understood?"  
"H'm. Bit touchy aren't we? I wasn't going to call you that anyway."  
"Good. Let's go."  
"Where's to, love?"  
"Anywhere we can be alone for several hours."  
"Hours? Planning to make this an all-day project?"  
"All-weekend, actually. Up for it?"  
"You know it."  
"Let's go."  
"Patience, Harry. Give me an hour or two to set things up properly."  
"An hour?"  
"Just an hour."  
"There are many days in an hour."  
"And many hours in a night. Calm down, Harry. Good things come to those who wait."  
  
***  
^_^ Heed Draco's last words, m'dears. I need time to think now. Suggestions and comments would be much appreciated!  
  
Luv ya!  
Silver  



	10. Why do I love thee? Hold on a Sec...

A/N: This chapter didn't go quite the way I wanted, but I hope you like it anyway!  
  
Thanks to Krissy, Tinuviel182, and Kjersti, who took the time to help a writer quickly running out of ideas!  
Thanks also to Cat Samwise. I couldn't agree with you more, Draco is a hottie. I never said he was gay. He could be bi...  
  
WARNING: Delicate ones, you know the drill. There will be kissing, moaning and all that jazz. Right so if that bothers you in an unpleasant way, skip this part.   
  
***  
Part Ten  
  
"Mmm, don't stop."  
"Don't you have any self-restraint?" Draco asked, grinning slyly. Harry's eyes flicked up to the silver handcuffs.  
"I have self-imposed restraints. Does that count?"  
"H'm. 'Fraid not," Draco said. He pressed his lips to Harry's softly. Harry arched his body in response and pressed his lips against Draco's, savouring the now-familiar sensation of cold fire running through his veins. Draco pulled away slowly. Harry tried to follow his lips, but his progress was checked by the handcuffs. Draco laughed softly.  
  
"I think I like these handcuffs, love."  
"You *would* like anything that leaves somebody at your mercy."  
"Mercy?" Draco said, an amused look in his eyes. "You should know better. I have none."  
"I know. Tell me again why it is I love you."  
"I don't know. You tell me." Draco said, running his tongue along Harry's body, going lower and lower. Harry let out a low moan. He lifted his hips.  
"Mmmm. How about just when I start to hate you, you do something- mmmm- like that?" Draco didn't answer for a bit.   
"I suppose that will do- for starters," he replied. His tongue darted out again, earning another cry from Harry.   
  
"Come on, lamb. Think," Draco coaxed, his hand moving languidly along Harry's side.  
"You remind me of myself." Draco laughed.   
"How could I possibly remind you of yourself? What do we have in common - besides the obvious, of course."  
"Well, look at it this way," Harry began.  
" H'm?" Draco prompted. It was hard for Harry to concentrate between the way Draco's silver cat's eyes kept staring at him and that thing he was doing with his tongue.  
" We're both famous in our own right."  
"Mm-hm."  
"Both different from everyone else."  
"Right."  
"Mmm...God, Draco, stop that."  
"You sure?"  
"No, but it's distracting. Either you can hear this now and finish up later or you can hear this later. Trying both at the same time isn't working for me." Draco moved up slightly and rested his head on Harry's stomach, gazing steadily at him.  
  
"Thank you, " Harry sighed. "Where was I?"  
"Different from everyone."  
"Right. Both looming in shadows of greatness."  
"Mmmm," Draco replied absently, kissing Harry's torso.  
"Are you even listening to me?"  
"Of course."  
"We're both alone." Draco rested his chin in his hands and looked at Harry quizzically.   
"Explain."  
  
"Well, all my life I've lived with the biggest set of Muggles imaginable and they hated me. They made sure no one else liked me either."  
"What about Hermione and Ron?"  
"They're great, but they don't understand what it is to be alone."  
"And I do?"  
"You understand better than they do. Your family's no picnic either."  
"True," Draco sighed. Harry looked at Draco and laughed. "What?"  
"You look just like an elf or a fairy- a very confused fairy."  
"A what?"  
"Your hair is all messed up and you have the funniest expression, and..." Harry trailed off.  
"And?"  
"You're almost too beautiful to be believed," he finished.  
"I think that's the sweetest thing any one has ever said to me," Draco said, moving his body along Harry's as his face moved closer to his. He reached up.   
"What are you doing?"  
"Taking these handcuffs off. They're fun but I'm more of a hands-on kinda person."  
"Hands on?"  
"Yes, your hands on me." He laughed at Harry's expression. "Something wrong?"  
"Yes," Harry said. He turned and pinned Draco beneath him. "I want to be on top first.  
  
Draco merely grinned as Harry kissed him, running his hands along Draco's body. Mmmm. One thing about those handcuffs was that he missed running his hands through Draco's fine hair and over his soft skin. he heard Draco gasp beneath him, moving his hips against Harry's, arching his back. His soft cries fueled Harry on, each cry more desperate than the last. Harry kissed his neck, his teeth bruising the tender flesh. Oh, how sweet it tasted. When it was over and Harry was spent, he gave himself to Draco's embrace. He heard him whisper softly," We're not alone anymore. We're together." Harry smiled. What a very unDraco-like thing to say.  
  
Draco flipped him on his back. "Now," he said, eyes twinkling, "it's my turn."  
***  
^_^ Comments dears? I love reading them. They give me something to do all day, not to mention without them, this story wouldn't have continued past part one.  
  
Luv ya!  
Silver  



	11. A Visit from Plot

A/N: There are some of you who are asking about a plot. I'm in the exposition. Before things start happening, I have to give you some background information   
OR  
before stuff starts hitting the fan, I have to let you know what that stuff is. Maybe there won't even be a real plot. There is no mystery to solve and no evil villains to fight. Think of it as the Matrix. It has some quotable lines, memorable characters, and a cute actor, but notice it didn't win any awards for a story line. Did that stop millions of people from watching it over and over? No.  
  
I'm working on style, then plot. Who cares if you have the best plot in the world if it's horribly written?  
  
PS That's me trying to defend my own inadequacy. Pathetic, isn't it?  
  
Thanks to: Aaron, Kara Star, Krissy, Raggona, and CrystalStarGuardian  
  
WARNING: Random silliness/insanity ahead.  
  
***  
Part Eleven  
  
Harry walked or rather floated halfway across the common room unmolested. Then Hermione and Ron spotted him. "Harry!" Hermione called. Harry looked up, surprised to see Hermione so eager to see him.  
"What did he say?" Ron asked.  
"What did who say?" Harry asked bewildered.  
"Snuffles," said Ron. Harry's glance fell on Neville. Neville nodded and made a gesture that he should follow along. *Wow! Neville doesn't miss a beat,* Harry thought appreciatively.   
"Oh right. He's fine. Needed some food and wanted to see how I was doing. He's on a mission from Dumbledore. Highly secretive. Didn't talk about it much," Harry replied.  
"So he's all right?" Hermione asked.  
"Yeah, he's fine. Never seen him so happy," Harry mumbled.  
"Did he say when he'll be back?" inquired Ron.  
"No. He said he'd be in touch," Harry replied. This answer seemed to satisfy Ron and Hermione, who went back to their homework. *Oh, right,* Harry thought. *I should start that. Tomorrow*   
  
He stumbled up to bed. Neville followed soon after. "Thanks again, Neville. I owe you a lot."  
"Don't mention it. I could tell by your face when you walked in that your night with Draco went well."  
"Extremely."  
"Good. That's all I need to hear."  
"How'd you know about Snuffles?"  
"You people think I'm such and idiot, you barely bother to whisper around me. You might want to be more careful about that."  
"Is there anything about us you don't know?"  
"Probably not."  
"I thought as much. Good night, Neville."  
"'Night, Harry."  
  
Harry had the weirdest dream that night. He was in the cottage with Draco asleep in his arms, when out of nowhere appeared two tiny wizards. One was dressed in bright fuchsia robes and had very tidy hair that looked plastic. The other wore robes of the most horrible shade of beige imaginable and probably didn't have the word "comb" in his vocabulary.  
  
"Who are you?" Harry asked.   
"I'm Plot," the wizard in fuchsia said brightly. "Oh and he-" Plot pointed to the other wizard. "He's Complication," Plot sighed. Complication murmured something and gave an insane laugh. Plot sighed again. "He's terrible, I know, but you can't have a plot without complication, so we're stuck together."  
"How awful!" Harry remarked, inching away from Complication, who had now begun to drool profusely.  
"You have no idea," moaned Plot. "Get off me! How many times have I told you! Boots are for walking, not for eating! Get off!" Complication whimpered and scurried off into a corner.  
  
"Now then," Plot said, straightening his robes. "I'm here because up until now, your story has been meandering along rather pointlessly."  
"So?"  
"So? My dear boy, you can't have a story without a plot! It's just not done, you see!"  
"And you can't have a plot without complication," Harry mumbled.  
"Right-o! You're beginning to catch on!"  
"What's the plot?"  
"I just told you there isn't one."  
"Well, what's this story about?"  
"Let's see. The author put it this way: "Harry's desperate act leads to something sweet, but will it last?"  
"I don't like the sound of that," Harry said.  
"Well, you don't really get a choice, you know."  
"Are you saying that this won't last?" Harry asked, gesturing to himself and the sleeping boy beside him.  
"I don't know. That topic's up for debate."  
"But I love him!"  
"Right!"  
"And he loves me!"  
"Right again!"  
"So what could possibly go wrong?"  
"Plenty, my boy, plenty. Why don't you ask Captain Drool Bucket over there? This is his department." Harry glanced over at Complication who was now drooling over the dragon hide table.  
"Hey! I like that table!" Harry called. Complication backed away. "What are you going to throw at me?" Complication babbled something. "What did he say?" Harry asked Plot.  
"He said he's working on it, and it's going to be tough."  
"But, but-"  
"Cheer up! You're the good guy, right? Things always work out for you, unless-"  
"Unless what?"  
"Nothing, nothing at all. We'll be seeing you. Come on, you!" Plot said, dragging along Complication by the sleeve. Complication waved and babbled something Harry assumed was a good-bye.  
  
Harry woke up drenched in a cold sweat. "Oh,God," he moaned. "That's it. I'm never drinking another butterbeer as long as I live," he swore. He lay back against the pillows and waited for morning to come.  
***  
^_^There you have it M'dears. A whole bunch of random stuff. What did you think?  



	12. Oops!

A/N: Hehe! Hello, darlings! I just read your comments. I'm so glad most of you enjoyed that random chapter. I'm good at adding wonderfully pointless chapters. That was one of my favorite chapters, that and chapter 10. I'm with Lindsay Beth (So glad to find someone who knows what seraphim are!)  
  
Thanks to Meep da Sheep, who doesn't want to see Plot and Complication again (w/ ya on that one), CrystalStarGuardian, Moondragon, Kara Star, Glace de Slytherin (you're right, by the way), Lindsay Beth, Beautiful Dreamer, to whom I think you owe Chapter 11, Rosemerta, maidmarian62, Becks and h'm....am I forgetting someone?...Nope, pretty sure that's everyone.....Oh, wait...Krissy! Thanks a bunch to dear Krissy.  
  
Extra thanks to panda pinke for the lovely lovely compliment.  
  
One more thing: This takes place a few months after the last part around May or June.  
  
***  
Part Twelve  
  
After a while, Hermione and Ron went back to ignoring Harry, but not because of anger. Harry's ill-spirited remark concerning the two of them resulted in Ron and Hermione officially going out. They were so busy being lovey-dovey, they just kind of forgot about Harry, which was fine for Harry because it meant he could go back to sneaking around with Draco unhassled.   
  
"Happy Birthday!" Harry said, handing Draco a little box. Draco looked up at him through stray locks of hair.  
"But today's not my birthday. My birthday's-"  
"Next week. I know, but I couldn't wait that long."  
"You have no patience, lamb."  
"Patience isn't one of my virtues."  
"You have virtues?" Draco teased. Harry grinned.   
"I'm sure I've got a few." Draco grinned slyly. "Open it!" Harry commanded.  
  
Draco opened it. It was a necklace with a pendant. Draco examined it closely. It was a dragon, a very beautiful silver dragon with wings of silver mesh and eyes of emeralds. "It's gorgeous," Draco gasped.   
"Look," Harry said, tapping it with his wand. The dragon stretched and flapped its wings before returning to its original position.   
"Smashing," Draco laughed.   
  
"I love it, " he said, kissing Harry. He just started to get into it when Harry pulled away.  
"Not here," he said.  
"Where then?" Harry looked around.   
"There," he replied pointing to the nearest closet.   
  
"Well, I think this is a first for us," Draco said, looking around.   
"We're in a closet. That's nothing new for us."  
"Harry, did you just make a play on words?"  
"That's not all I'm about to make a play for."  
"Is that right?"  
"Mm-h'm."  
  
Harry kissed Draco, parting his lips with his tongue. Draco unfastened his robes as Harry undid his. Harry kissed his neck and shoulders. He moved slowly down Draco's body and came back up again to kiss his lips. For now, he was content with kisses.  
  
Meanwhile Snape was coming down that very same hallway on his way to the staff room. He heard some strange noises coming from a nearby linen closet. Snape paused. It sounded like very heavy breathing and moaning, definitely moaning. Snape smirked. He opened the door. Out tumbled three sets of sheets, a handful of towels, a very annoyed, half-naked Harry Potter, and a terrified, half-naked Draco Malfoy.  
***  
  
^.^ Oops! Doesn't look good for our boys! What do you think/hope happens next, dears? Hehe! Next chapter's not done yet. You might have to wait until tomorrow to find out!  
Luv ya!  
Silver  



	13. A Plan

A/N: Hehe! *grins truly evil grin* Now I know why authors have cliffhangers. I regret having to do that to you all, but...I needed time to think. For all you inquiring minds curious about the author who puts no personal information in their bio, ask any questions you might have after reading this chapter. I'll endeavor to answer them all.   
Thanks to luna & lemming, Raggona, Dede, Gia, Crystal, Aaron, Tygress, Mimi, Cat Samwise, miss breed, CrystalStarGuardian, Sophia, Zoe, Lindsay Beth, All that is gold does not glitter, Bellerophon, RatheraMutemwiya, the imposer, Rosemerta, Rath ( who requested I stick with my earlier writing style. Please forgive any inconsistencies in my writing style, I haven't gotten it down yet so it fluctuates. There's either a lot of thought and no dialogue or a lot of dialogue and no thought.), and Krissy.  
  
Yay! Passed the hundred-review mark! Yay! Thanx guys!  
  
There were a number of you who considered Snape getting in on this, no promises or signs of revulsion yet... *shakes head at readers reviews* Let's see what happens!  
  
***  
Part Thirteen  
  
Harry closed his eyes. "Shit," he said softly. Draco hadn't said anything. In fact he hadn't moved at all. Snape just stared at them. *Harry Potter just cursed,* he thought. Then he realized how dumb that thought was in light of the situation. He had just caught Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy -two unquestionably male rivals- making out in a closet, which to Snape, seemed very appropriate. Having gotten over the shock, the first thing he did was double over with laughter.  
  
Harry couldn't believe it. Snape was laughing at him. Snape was laughing so hard, Harry was half-hoping he'd bust a gut. At least then he wouldn't be able to tell anyone what he was laughing about. Snape was now leaning against a wall and wiping tears from his eyes. Harry winced, thinking about the consequences, but Snape didn't even think to reprimand them. He just walked down the hall roaring with laughter.  
  
*  
  
Harry sighed. "That kind of sucked," he said, rising to his feet. He offered me his hand.  
"Kinda sucks? Harry, we're way beyond sucks! We're talking royally fucked!"  
"Not yet!"  
"Yet, being the operative word," I muttered grimly.  
"What do you want to do about it?"  
"Blackmail," I replied without hesitation.  
"Is that a conditioned response or did you actually think about that one?" I smiled at him. I quickly ran over my father's lessons in my mind.  
"Doesn't matter." I waited for his response.  
"Not that I'm considering this, but blackmail him with what?" Harry asked.   
  
It was hard to tell what made him more upset, our discovery or blackmailing Snape. His response pleased me. It was a step in the right direction. I considered answering his question outright but it would be best if I played along, let him come up with the plan. He'd be more willing to go along with it that way.   
  
I had to admit that the whole world finding out about us had a certain appeal. It would be all over the Daily Prophet. Wizards and witches would whisper about it in the Leaky Cauldron. "Did you hear about Harry Potter and the Malfoy boy?" Everyone would know Harry was taken- by me. H'mm...everyone including Lord Voldemort...I shook my head ever so slightly and sighed. I couldn't let that happen.  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked.  
"We don't know anything about Snape that's worthy of blackmail."  
"Not yet."  
"Yet? I don't like the sound of that, Draco."  
"Nor should you. Blackmail's an ugly word, Harry, but it has its uses. Besides Snape's a complication that needs to be removed."  
"But you can't have a plot without a complication."  
"What?" This was not the right time for Harry to go to pieces on me.  
"Nothing," he muttered. "What do you mean 'removed'?"   
"Relax, I'm not going to kill him. We just need to persuade him to keep quiet."   
"How are we going to do that?"  
  
I narrowed my eyes and thought for a moment. What did I know about Snape? He liked me. I could get away with murder in front of him, but this wasn't murder. This was something else. I often caught him staring at me... I smiled a twisted little smile to myself. I had him. "We're going to use an old Malfoy tradition."  
"Dare I ask what?"  
"Bribery."  
"Bribery?"  
"Mm-h'm"  
"Draco, there isn't enough money in the world to keep Snape quiet on this." I grinned. Harry had gone into scheming mode without realizing it. He would have made a good Slytherin.  
"Precisely, love. That's why we're not going to bribe him with money."  
"Well then-"  
"There are three things that make the world go 'round: power, money, and sex. We already agreed money isn't an issue. Snape's discovery already gave him power, so..." I trailed off, hoping he'd figure out the rest.   
"You're not suggesting..." I nodded. "Even then there's no guarantee-"  
"That's why we resort to another Malfoy tradition."  
"Which is?" he asked tiredly.  
"Back stabbing."  
"Come again?"  
"We bribe Snape. He takes our bribe. We hold it over his head as blackmail. He spills our secret and we spill his. Intimate relations with students-tsk, tsk. Even Dumbledore can't help him with that."  
  
Harry looked aghast. I wasn't too thrilled about the plan myself. It was a wonderfully evil plan, but I wasn't looking forward to carrying it out. Oh well, it had to be done. "You know, you're quite cute when you're horrified," I said lightly.   
  
"I'm not doing this-" *Damn! He was a Gryffindor after all.*  
"Fine, I will."  
"You can't be serious."  
"I'm dead serious. I'll be damned before I give that contemptible SOB anything to hold over my head!"  
"You and your awful pride."  
"You and your high morals! There is a time for them, yes, but now is not the time."  
"You can't just have morals when it's convenient."  
"Of course you can. Makes things a whole lot easier." I kissed him lightly and flashed him one last smile before heading toward the dungeons.  
***  
^.^ Darlings, what's Draco going to do? Will Harry stop him or join him? Oh the evilness of it all! *grin* Don't forget to review and ask questions if you have any!  
Luv ya always!  
Silver  
  
P.S. Chapter 14 should be up now. 


	14. A Talk with Snape

A/N: Thank you for your kind reviews and opinions as always. Some info about me: I'm a fourteen-year-old girl who enjoys reading and all kinds of music and you are reading my first fanfic. By the way, I hope you aren't too mad at me for how this chapter turns out. What happens between Draco and Snape? Read to find out....  
  
Thanks to Morwen O'Conner, Glace de Slytherin, panda pinke, Becks, Calamity tubbs, Rose Black, Adelina, Crystal, and Krissy.  
  
***  
Part Fourteen  
  
Draco slipped into Snape's office easily. He waited. His stomach was tying itself in knots, and every time he thought about what he might have to do he gagged. He wished Harry were here. He wished he had taken some Calming Potion. He wished there were another way. He wished for something to do! He was bored. He went to what he did best: snooping. He had a golden opportunity and when opportunity knocks, Draco never pretends he's not home.   
  
He rummaged through drawers, cabinets and a large trunk before finally turning to a small shelf of books. There were several books about potions, some concentrating on the powers of herbs and a small, untitled volume. Curious, Draco pulled it off the shelf. He opened it. He read a few lines before realizing what the small leather book was. It was Snape's diary. He smiled a victorious little smile. Perfect.  
  
*  
  
Snape walked down the hall to his office still chuckling on the way. This was too good! Malfoy and Potter! Who would have guessed? And here he was partnering them up all the time! He opened the door and stepped inside.  
  
Draco sat on his desk staring lazily at the fire. "What are you doing here?" Snape asked. Draco turned his head slowly and examined his teacher.   
"We need to talk," he said.  
"About?" Draco laughed softly.  
"You know very well what about."  
"Suppose I don't want to talk about it?"  
"Suppose I don't recall asking you?" drawled Draco, in a not unpleasant way.  
"Fine," huffed Snape. "Talk." Draco waited a moment however and rose to his feet.  
  
"About this afternoon," he began. An involuntary smile appeared on Snape's face. "Right. We're you planning on telling anyone?"  
"Yes, I was planning on letting it become common knowledge so that whatever advantage I might have will be lost," Snape said sarcastically.   
"H'm. And what would you do with this advantage?" Draco asked, moving across the room.  
"I hadn't thought about it yet."  
"Good, because I wouldn't want you to be disappointed."  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
"It means that you have no advantage. We're even," Draco said, smiling. Snape scowled and raised an eyebrow.  
"Explain," he said.  
" You've been double-crossing someone."  
"What?"  
"Someone who's not too forgiving, I might add."  
"I don't know what you're talking about." Draco waved a small leather-bound diary.  
"Naughty Snape. Don't you know better than to keep a diary? If this fell into the wrong hands..." Snape gave a small gasp. "Needless to say it might not be very pleasant for you."  
"Fine," Snape muttered.  
"Excuse me? I didn't hear you."  
"Fine, I won't tell anybody."  
"My! How very kind of you. I'll be taking this. Insurance, you understand." Draco moved his lips within inches of Snape's ear. "Pleasure doing business with you," he whispered.   
  
He laughed to himself all the way down the hall. He stopped at the fireplace he came to and chucked Snape's diary into the fire. It seemed too easy somehow. *Damn! Harry must be rubbing off on me.* He shook his head and continued on his way, humming the entire time.  
***  
^_^ What say you? Is this a terrible chapter? Should I remove it and type another Chapter 14? Let me know dears. Draco absolutely refused to have anything to do with Snape and every time I tried to have Harry help him, Harry crossed his arms and said "NO." It's terrible having characters that are insubordinate! Oh well...  
  
  



	15. Draco's Bluff

A/N: Another chapter with dialogue. Sorry, no kissing or anything in this chapter. Maybe in the next one...No promises though. I've been thinking about it and at this rate, plot will appear in the sequel to this story or chapter 18, if I decide to keep it all as one story. What say you, darlings?  
  
Thanks to Kerr (I'll see what I can do), Rose Black, CrystalstarGuardian, Beth825, Kara Star, _, maidmarian62,Mimi, Morwen O'Conner, Glace de Slytherin,Krissy, Nekokijo,Zoe, Cat Smawise, and Sophia of Luna and Lemming   
  
***  
Chapter Fifteen  
  
The next morning at breakfast a school owl dropped a note in Harry's lap. He opened it quickly.   
  
Meet me by the dungeons before Potions. Snape will make our excuses.  
  
Harry looked up. He caught Draco's eye and nodded. It was done then. He didn't even want to think about what Draco had done to win Snape's silence. The thoughts came unbidden. Snape kissing Draco, running his hands over his body-  
"Harry, what's wrong?" Ron asked.  
"Maybe you should see Madame Pomfrey," suggested Hermione.  
"I think they're right. Your face has become a very interesting shade of green," Seamus remarked. Harry stood up.  
"I'm going to be sick," he announced before leaving the Great Hall.  
  
He barely made it to the nearest bathroom before being violently ill. If he hated Snape before.. He'd kill the man now. He shook his head. He couldn't kill Snape. Dumbledore needed him. Fine, he'd get him when Dumbledore had no further use for him.  
  
Draco was in a good mood. Harry could tell by the spring in his step when he came to meet him. His smile changed quickly into a frown at the sight of Harry's face. "Are you okay?"  
"Do I look okay?" snapped Harry. A flash of understanding lit up Draco's eyes. He smiled.  
"Relax, Harry. I didn't do it."  
"You didn't talk to Snape?"  
"I did, but I didn't do anything more than that." Harry's relief was immediately obvious. He knit his brow.  
"Is Snape going to tell?"  
"No. We came to an arrangement," Draco replied.  
"How?"  
"Blackmail."  
"With what?" Harry asked.  
"I found Snape's diary."  
"And I threatened him with it and took it."  
"You stole-"  
"I burnt it."  
"You did what?"  
"I know," Draco sighed. He grinned slyly. "It was just too easy."  
"What did you find out?"  
"I read something about him and McGonagall and decided that it would be less emotionally scarring to bluff."  
"Snape and McGonagall?" Harry cried. He made a face.  
"I agree," Draco said, making a face of his own.  
  
"What did you say?"  
"For a long time my father has suspected that Snape was spying for Dumbledore. I remembered that and made him believe that I knew it for certain." Harry's face turned pale.   
"You wouldn't actually-"  
"Harry, what would Voldemort do if he found you?"  
"He'd kill me."  
"Right and who would I put in handcuffs?"   
"Pansy," Harry replied evilly. It was Draco's turn to make a face.   
"I'll drink poison before it comes to that," he swore. Harry laughed. "Rest assured my overwhelming love for you and myself and my enormous disliking for Pansy shall keep Snape's secret for me."  
"Aw! You could almost be in Gryffindor."  
"Shut up, you."  
"Make me."  
"If you insist," Draco replied, kissing him.  
***  
^_^That's all for now, m'dears. So now you know Draco was bluffing and that he didn't read most of Snape's diary. H'm... Draco's turning into a Gryffindor on me. Not that it matters, he stopped speaking to me ages ago. He's sore at me for some reason. Please review. More Hermione and Ron in the next Chapter or maybe the one after... Oh well! They're coming up soon, I promise!  
LUv ya!  
Silver  
  
  



	16. Again?!

A/N: Hello, dears! I missed two days! Eek! Reality called. Luckily our conversation was short.   
  
  
Thanks to Lindsay Beth, Cat Smawise, Prongs, Anders (although, I don't understand why you would subject yourself to 15 chapters of a story you hated), Krissy, Glace de Slytherin,Eclipse Wolderoffe, SexiPexiChic, Wyvern and Bellerophon, Raven Mars, Private Show Girl, miss breed, CrystalStarGuardian, Kerr, Becks, Di-chan, Hermione Malfoy, princess_katrina,Clamity tubbs, Amo Draconem, Sophia Luna, and my dear, dear friend Marisa! Love you all!  
  
***  
Part Sixteen  
  
Oddly enough, Draco's way of keeping Harry quiet soon ended up making him louder and louder until it was necessary that they move lest they be discovered again. They didn't have enough time to make it to the cottage and back, so they went to Gryffindor tower instead.   
  
"How much time until our next class?" Harry asked, short of breath.  
"About an hour. That should be more than enough time," Draco replied kissing him softly. Harry returned it eagerly. He was so relived tha Draco hadn't done anything with Snape. Draco knew it.  
  
"Why do I get the feeling that if I had done what I went to Snape's office to do, we wouldn't be having this conversation?" he asked.  
"What conversation? Conversation involves talking. We can talk later," Harry said. Draco smiled.  
"Impatient are we?"  
"Too much talking," Harry said. He pulled Draco forward and ran his tongue over his lips. "Yum," he whispered.  
"You know, talking is overrated."  
"Then why are you still doing it?"  
  
Things happened very fast after that. Harry remembered the silkiness of Draco's skin, the moist heat of his mouth, his own sharp cries, and Draco's soft inarticulate gasps. Then it was over and he was shrugging on his robe, still kissing Draco."We should cut Potions more often," Harry said.  
"And fail our exams?"  
"You sound like Hermione," Harry replied, pouting.  
"Kiss me before I do it again." Harry complied, pressing Draco's body against his, feeling his heat through the robes.  
  
"Oh, my god-" *Thump*  
  
***  
^_^ Oh no! Not again! Who is it this time? You'll find out as soon as I post the next chapter- later today, I promise. Review!   
Luv ya!  
Silver 


	17. HIM?!

A/N: No cliffhangers today, m'dears!  
  
PS Glace de Slytherin, this chapter's for you. Hope you like it.  
***  
Part Seventeen  
  
Harry looked up and saw Hermione standing there with her mouth open and Ron sprawled on the ground unconscious beside her. "Bloody hell," muttered Draco.   
  
They were able to restore Ron to consciousness quickly. He scrambled to his feet." You-"he said, pointing to Harry. "And HIM?" he shrieked, pointing to Draco.  
"Very good, Weasley. Figured that one out all by yourself, did you?" Draco retorted.  
"Ron, please-" Harry began.  
"But, Harry- Malfoy?"  
"I know!" Harry sighed.  
"Malfoy?" Ron repeated.  
"For Christ's sake! You sound like Neville!" cried Harry.  
"Neville?!! Neville knew about this?" yelled Ron.  
"Well," Harry did wake him up," Draco said.  
"It's your fault. If you hadn't-"  
"Boys, you're on the verge of giving away too much information," Hermione interrupted. She rubbed her temples as if she had a major headache.  
  
"Maybe you should go," Harry said to Draco.  
"This could get messy. Want me to put a memory charm on him?" Draco asked.  
"You're not putting a memory charm on my best friend," Harry stated firmly.  
"How could you kiss that awful monster?" Ron cried. Hermione didn't say anything. She just avoided looking at them altogether.  
"He's no more a monster than you are," insisted Harry.  
"I take offense to being compared to Weasley in any way, shape, or form," Draco said.  
"Shut up, ferret boy," Ron quipped. Draco looked daggers at him.  
  
"I'm with Ron on this one. Malfoy?" Hermione said at last.  
"Why does everyone say that? Yes, Malfoy! No 'but, Harrys' or 'honestly, Harrys' or any of that sort of thing!" Harry cried tearing at his hair.  
"But he doesn't have any redeeming qualities at all," Hermione said.  
"That's not true," Harry objected.  
"Now you're defending him! That's almost as bad as when you were kissing him!" Ron moaned.  
"We've done a considerable bit more than that," Draco remarked. Hermione gasped. Ron turned deathly pale.  
"Don't tell me you-"  
"Fine. I won't," Harry snapped irritably, cutting off Ron mid-sentence.  
"Harry, why?" Hermione questioned.  
"I don't know! Why does anybody love anybody? Why do you love Ron?"  
"Are you saying you love Malfoy?" Hermione asked softly. Harry looked defeated.  
"Yes," he sighed. "I love Draco."  
"That's it! I'm going to kill you, you traitorous bastard!" Ron shouted, leaping at Harry.  
"Ron!" cried Hermione, throwing her arms around his waist to restrain him. Draco surveyed the scene torn between disgust and amusement until Ron clipped Harry in the jaw.  
  
"Hey!" he shouted. They all stopped and looked at him. He pointed his wand at Ron. "You will sit down and we will talk about this like civil human beings, or I swear I'll hex you so fast, it'll make your head spin." Ron glared at Harry. "And trust me, it'll make burping up slugs seem like a picnic," Draco added. Ron cast him a baleful glance and sat down slowly.  
  
"How could you? After all the shit he's put us through? For years he's been tormenting us! How could you just forget all of that?" Ron demanded.  
"It's different now," insisted Harry.  
"Different how? Before he would have turned you in to You-Know-Who at the drop of a hat and now he'll wait a drop and a half?" Ron said bitterly.  
"I just can't explain it."  
"Harry, fucking him hardly changes anything," Hermione said coldly. *Oh, fuck! Granger just cursed. I'm in trouble,* Draco thought.  
"Look, Granger, I would no more hurt Harry than you would. I may have hated him, but I never wanted him dead," he replied. Hermione glared at him.  
"I don't like you. In fact, it could be said that I hate you. Don't you dare compare yourself to me! You don't know anything about me!"  
"And what do you know about me?" Draco demanded. Their eyes met and for the longest time they were caught in a venomous stare.  
"Fine! Do what you want. I can't stop you. I still despise you, however, and if you hurt Harry, I will skin you and use you as a particularly horrifying Halloween costume," Hermione said, with a hard edge to her voice Harry had never heard before.  
"Thanks for the mental picture, Granger."  
"Anytime," she said with a cold smile.  
***  
^.^What do you think? What should happen next? I'll see if I can get the next part up by Wednesday.  
Luv ya!  
Silver  



	18. Night Visitor

A/N: I've changed my name, as you probably know. I hope it didn't cause you any problems. There were too many Silvers.  
  
What is it about my writing that you guys like so much? What is it that I just can't see? I drives me nuts not knowing! Oh, well, I suppose I wasn't meant to know...  
  
Thanks to Prongs, Kerr, Sophia Luna, panda pinke (your suggestion caused a bit of a stir in History), Becks, Krissy, Cat Sam wise, do you really care?!, Zoe, Gia, Hermione Malfoy, Wyvern, Bellerophon and Marisa!  
  
Hermione groaned in her sleep. Oh God, not the dreams again. No, no, this couldn't be happening. She hadn't had one of these dreams in weeks. No. She was running her fingers through messy black hair. She felt soft lips on hers- NO! Her eyes snapped open in the dark. "Good dream?" a voice asked.  
  
Hermione started and nearly had a heart attack. She narrowed her eyes, feeling the prickles of sudden fright in her shoulders fade. "What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed. Draco knelt by her bed.  
"Don't worry, Granger. Your secret is safe with me," he whispered, smirking.  
"What secret?"   
"You're going out with Weasley and screaming his best friend's name in your sleep," he replied. His eyes sparkled with amusement.  
"I had a nightmare, not that it's any of your business," she said haughtily, stubbornly ignoring the blush creeping across her face.  
"Yes, of course. Everyone has nightmares about having sex with Harry Potter. I know I do," he laughed low, almost like a purr.  
  
"What do you want?" she asked.  
"I want to know why you hate me so much." Hermione stared at him in disbelief.  
"Are you serious?" asked. He nodded. She laughed scornfully. "You want to know why I hate you? Let me think- could it have anything to do with the fact that you continually make fun of me?"  
"Couldn't possibly," he replied thoughtfully, stroking his chin. "Especially since you ask for it."  
"In what way do I ask to be ridiculed?"  
"Your position is just so laughable."  
"What do you mean?"  
"You hang out with the Dynamic Duo of Hogwarts."  
"What?"  
"You have Harry- rich, athletic, orphaned at the hands of evil- and Weasley-well-meaning and hopeless. But no matter how much he bungles everything, he still gets credit while you hang in the shadows. They're Batman and Robin, and you, Granger, you're Alfred."  
"Alfred?"  
"Yes. If Harry wants it, you'll do it. You do all the research that lets Harry continue to save the world with an assist from Ron, and you don't get anything for it."  
"H'm, and I suppose that makes you Catwoman?" asked Hermione. Draco smiled.  
"Don't have the whip. I suppose that could be fixed-"  
"Ew. I don't want to hear about whatever sick fantasies you have about Harry."  
"You sure?" Draco asked innocently. "You certain that you don't want to hear about Harry in handcuffs? Or his naughty fascinating with dragon hide?" Hermione covered her ears.  
"Stop! I don't want to hear anymore!"  
"Deny it all you want. Maybe you can convince yourself, but you definitely can't convince me."  
  
"You want to know why I hate you? You're rude, arrogant, obnoxious, cruel, self-centered, ruthless, and relentless!" she cried. "Not to mention you look like a girl," she added, hoping that last one would make him leave. He merely watched her, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I've told you every reason I can think of. Now go!"  
"No!"  
"Wh- what? What do you mean no?"  
"No, as in I'm not leaving yet."  
"Why the hell not?"  
"Because my presence annoys you."  
"Which is exactly why you should sod off!"  
"Which is exactly why I'm not," he said, crossing his arms.  
"Did I mention I loathe you?"  
"No," Draco replied, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Do tell."  
***  
^-^ There goes our boy Draco being a pest again. Suggestions? Comments? I'd love to hear them.  
Luv ya!  
Silver 


	19. *Thwap*

A/N: I really need to learn how to plan a story. Mine just kind of ramble along, never getting to an actual point. Maybe I need to sit down and have a nice chat with Plot and Complication. Actually I think a conversation with Complication is near impossible.  
  
I have no idea where that last chapter came from. Now I have to fit it in somehow!  
  
And yes, once I start with the complications, I just keep them coming. They just keep piling up and just when things look like they're going smoothly, I throw in another complication, right Marisa? I hope everything's a surprise, cuz it's always a surprise for me!  
  
Thanks to sweet Kerr, Cat Samwise, Becks, Hermione Malfoy, Prongs, Sarah-chan, Tinuveil182 (I was just wondering what happened to you),Krissy, Moondragon, Raggona, AVK, Crystal, sgc_star, Mrrrisa and Vidak, who didn't review but said my writing was good even if he didn't agree with the content. And Sweet Eowyn, who finally got back, Do you really care?! (just a good and overactive imagination), and pande pink, who's just filled with ideas.  
  
Warning: Blatant Seamus abuse.  
***  
Part Nineteen  
  
Things didn't go well between Ron and Harry either. Ron breezed through the doorway of their dorm and slammed the door shut behind him. Dean, Seamus, and Neville looked up curiously. Harry came in almost immediately afterwards, panting. He had been running around trying to catch Ron all day. "Ron, listen to me."  
"Harry, how could you?"  
"Ron-"  
"I just don't understand. Malfoy?"  
"Ron-"  
"Why him? Of all goddamned people why to you have to pick the biggest jerk in the universe?"  
"Listen-"  
"Why?"  
"I'd tell you if you'd shut up long enough to listen!" cried Harry, thoroughly exasperated.   
  
"What's going on?" questioned Dean cautiously.  
"Harry's screwing Malfoy," Ron replied angrily. Dean's eyes widened.  
"How so?" asked Dean, raising his eyebrows.  
"I didn't ask for details, but I walked in on them kissing."  
"That's no surprise," said Seamus. Everyone turned to stare at him. "Well, he's hot," Seamus explained. *Thwap* Dean smacked him upside the head. "Ouch! What did you hit me for? It's true!" *Thwap* Seamus muttered something and moved from within range of Dean's slap-happy arm.  
  
"You're not helping," Ron muttered to him.  
"Was I supposed to be?" Seamus inquired, scratching his head.   
"Yes! You're supposed to be with me on this."  
"I'm with Harry."  
"What? You hate Slytherin!"  
"Yes, but that hatred stops abruptly to admire Draco's body," Seamus sighed. *Thump* Dean threw a textbook at him. "Will you quit abusing me? How will I explain a huge bruise on my face to my mum?"  
"Tell her you opened your mouth. I'm sure she'll understand," Dean replied calmly.  
"Besides, it not just his body. Harry actually loves him," Ron said. Harry was now completely embarrassed. This was not what he wanted at all.  
  
"What? Dean, pass me a piece of parchment and a quill," Seamus requested. Dean passed him the afore mentioned materials. "Neville, who's the director at St. Mungo's?"  
"Why?" Neville asked.  
"I'm going to write a nice letter recommending that Harry be locked up with all the other nutcases," he answered. Neville winced.  
"Real sensitive, Seamus," muttered Dean.  
"I thought you were on my side," protested Harry.  
"Harry, sex with Draco is one thing. Loving him- well, that's just plain phsyco," Seamus replied, scribbling his note. He jumped up. "Ron, can I borrow your owl?"  
"Sure," Ron said with a grin.  
"Seamus, sit down," Dean sighed.  
"It's for his own good, Dean. The sooner he gets on the road to recovery, the better off he'll be," he explained, bouncing up and down excitedly like someone who just had an enormous amount of sugar.  
"Shut up," Dean said.  
"Are you gonna make me?" Seamus said bolting for the door. He didn't make it far however before Dean tackled him. "Ouch! Dean! Are you trying to kill me?" he asked, squirming beneath Dean.  
"Shut up," Dean repeated.   
"Get off!" Seamus huffed. Dean stood and offered his hand to Seamus, who dusted himself off with mock dignity.  
  
Seamus's eyes lit up and he started bouncing again. "Oh- I got it!"  
"Got what?" asked Ron.  
"A clue?" Dean suggested.  
"At long last," sighed Neville.  
"Hey!" Seamus called, looking hurt. "Since when are you one to talk about clueless?"  
"Don't you know? Neville's a genius in disguise," laughed Harry.  
"Sure fooled me," muttered Seamus.  
"Oh, you're just jealous," Dean said.  
"What have you got, Seamus?" Ron asked. Seamus opened his mouth and suddenly closed it. He frowned.  
" I forgot."  
"Great! He forgot!" Dean said.  
"Figures," mumbled Ron.  
"Oh! Oh! Oh! I remember now!" Seamus exclaimed.  
"Well, out with it!" Ron cried.  
"I figured out Harry's nightmares," Seamus announced.  
"What nightmares?"  
"Do you remember how he kept waking us up with his nightmares?"  
"Yeah," grumbled Ron.  
"What kind of dreams were you really having Harry?" Dean teased.  
"No, nimrod!" Seamus exclaimed, resuming his hyper-bouncing. "Those weren't dreams. I'd bet anything that there were six people in this dorm instead of five!" There was a stunned silence.  
"Well, what do you know, he finally did get a clue," Neville exclaimed. "Well done, Seamus."  
  
Ron didn't comment for the simple reason that he was completely absorbed with being horrified. His face turned pale under his freckles and his mouth dropped open. "Planning on catching flies there, Ron?" inquired Neville politely. Ron just gaped and made several half-hearted attempts to close his mouth.  
"I-I-" he stuttered.  
"Am doing a very wonderful impression of a goldfish," Seamus finished. *Thwap* "OW!! Damn! Stop it, Dean." He glared at his best friend, who merely gave him a little smile. Ron gave a small squeal, followed by a moan, and covered his face with his hands.  
"H'm, I'd say he just got an unpleasant mental picture," Neville replied. Ron shuddered.  
"Didn't have one until now. Thanks, Neville."  
"Don't mention it." Ron was silent for a bit.  
  
"Oh my God," he said.  
"Ron-" Harry began.  
"Oh my god. You- him- here? Ohhh!"  
"Ron-"  
"You and-? Ohhh, god!"  
"Uh-oh. Someone's having a breakdown," Dean said quietly.  
"And-? Oh, god-the common room," Ron groaned.  
"Harry, really! The common room?" Seamus scolded.   
"Beats handcuffs," sighed Neville.  
"Hand- Oh god!" Ron moaned.  
"Now, now. They're very nice handcuffs," Neville said reassuringly.  
"Ohhhhh!"  
"I think that was a bit more information than he needed right now," Dean said.  
"Handcuffs? Ooo! Do tell!" begged Seamus. *Thwap* "Bastard!" *Smack*  
"Seamus!" Dean protested, rubbing his cheek.  
"Dean!" Seamus replied, mocking him. "Twit." *Thwap* "Cut that out!"  
"Stop it," Harry said softly, stealing a glance at Ron, who still had his face covered and was now rocking back and forth.  
"I think he's scarred for life," Neville said cheerfully.  
"Yep, complete emotional wreck. Nice going, Harry," remarked Seamus. *Thwap*  
"Thanks, Dean."  
"No problem, Harry."  
  
Harry sat down next to Ron. "Ron," he called softly. No answer. "Ron?" He put a hand on his shoulder gingerly. Ron yanked away.  
"Don't touch me," he said, his voice sounding strangely muffled.  
"Ron, please," he begged, touching his face. Again Ron jerked away. Something glistened on Harry's hand. Tears. Ron was crying.  
"I said 'don't touch me!'"  
"Ron, listen."  
"Just go away. I just can't- I just can't talk to you right now. I-I-I just can't" Ron sobbed quietly.  
"I understand. You need time." Ron nodded.  
"Time. Yeah, time and a sleeping potion."  
"We'll get one!" Dean said, dragging Seamus with him.  
"So we'll talk-"  
"Soon, but not tonight. It's just too much," Ron sighed, wiping his eyes. Harry nodded.  
"Whatever you want," he promised.  
***  
^_^ *sigh* Love Seamus- he's so hyped! SO- What did you think? Suggestions, dearies? Alway open. Oh and I promise no Hermione/Harry. No, no, no! Not in this fic, my dears.  
  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver  



	20. Poison

A/N: Now I begin the long process of weaving everything together into a story that makes sense.  
  
Thanks to Glace de Slytherin, who always has good suggestions, Wyvern and Bellerophon (More Addictive than Pringles? Really? I'm honored. Major Brownie points if you can tell me why.)Cat Samwise, Lelio (Kerr, you changed names on me! I like, though.), Krissy, Gia, Tinuviel182, Raggona, Mimi, Prongs, Moondragon, Becks, Mystica  
  
***  
Part Twenty  
  
Breakfast the next morning was very quiet. Harry was practically dead on his feet. Hermione looked miserable. Ron was truly pitiable. If you combined the looks of both Harry and Hermione and added an unhealthy dose of troubled thoughts, you'd get Ron's expression. Neville kept to himself as usual. Seamus was grinning like a fool instead of speaking since Dean was within arm's reach.  
  
Harry was desperate to talk to Ron and Hermione about everything. He jabbed at a piece of bacon with his fork and kept wondering why he was still nervous about Dean and Seamus knowing, despite numerous promises extracted from both of them. Oh, yeah- Seamus had a big mouth. Frustrated and worried, Harry got up and walked out of the Great Hall.  
  
Hermione followed him with her eyes. She looked away and met the glance of Draco, also rising from his table. His eyes glittered with pure hatred. She could almost hear him hiss and see the bared claws. She rose to the occasion and glared just as poisonously. Draco's lips twisted into a wicked grin before he followed Harry out of the hall. Ron put his head down on the table. Hermione followed his example.  
  
Over the course of the day, Hermione forgot her Charms homework, tore the hem of her robe, and got-horror of horrors! - a B on Proffessor Binns's history exam. Just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, she remembered she had Potions with the Slytherins.  
  
Their assignment for today was to figure out what poison Snape had concocted and brew an antidote. They'd be working in pairs. They would drink the poison and then take their partner's antidote. Luckily for Hermione, her partner was Catwoman himself.  
  
He gave her a patented Draco smirk. "Granger."  
"Don't talk to me."  
"What's wrong?" he asked with mock sympathy. "No good dreams last night?"  
"Leave me alone, Malfoy," she warned. Her hand lingered over the mandrake root. It would be so easy to poison him. She didn't even have to poison him. She could just brew an ineffective antidote, but Snape would know-   
  
*Hold on! I'm thinking about killing him!* She glanced over at his bowed head, blonde hair falling over his face like a curtain. She could tell by the ingredients he had laid out that he was brewing the correct antidote. She felt a wave of guilt. She sighed and went back to her antidote.  
  
Snape came around with the poison. Hermione stared at it. It was a deep red but not blood red. It was the red of Snow White's apple, distinctly beautiful and quite deadly. *If Malfoy fails, at least Harry and Ron will never know,* she consoled herself. With a nod from Snape, she drained the contents of the little cup.  
  
She shivered. It was like ice running through her. It tasted sweet on her lips. Its effect was immediate. Her vision clouded. Hand shaking, she passed her antidote to Malfoy. He tossed it back in one shot. "How did you know it wasn't poison?" she asked him.   
"You're a Gryffindor. You're incapable of such things," he replied.   
"The antidote should tingle a bit," Snape informed them. Hermione drank Malfoy's potion. She gasped. Instead of tingling it felt like her entire body was on fire. She fell to the floor, pain so intense she couldn't see or think. Every breath brought a fresh stab of pain. Thankfully, she passed out.   
  
She woke up in the hospital wing with Harry and Ron on either side of her bed. "What happened?" she asked.  
"Malfoy 'forgot' to put in the crocodile's tears to take the edge of," Ron said bitterly. Professor McGonagall came in to check on Hermione. Pleased to see her favorite student alive and well, she turned to Madame Pomfrey.  
"Poppy, what about Serverus?"  
"He'll be fine. Just a little shock," Madame Pomfrey replied.  
  
"What happened to Snape?" Hermione inquired.  
"Neville finally got a potion right, and Snape nearly died from surprise," Harry chuckled.  
"With Bulstrode as his partner, what else could Neville do?" Ron asked.  
"Good for Neville," Hermione laughed.  
"Indeed. We had better get going," Ron said, checking the clock.  
"See ya later, Hermione," said Harry.  
"Bye, guys," she called softly.  
  
Hermione had one more visitor. She should have expected him, but it still startled her when she turned around and he was right behind her. She gave a start. He looked crestfallen.  
"What's wrong Malfoy? Disappointed you didn't kill me?"  
"Disappointed you're such a wimp. I was hoping you hold out at least five minutes."  
"I'll try harder next time."  
" Hope for your own sake that there won't be a next time. That was a warning, Granger, and a reminder I like the way things are. Harry belongs to me, and you *will not* screw that up."  
"Harry *belongs* to no one."  
"That was his problem, wasn't it? But I've got him now- heart, body, and soul. Never forget that, Granger. Unpleasant side effects may occur." His eyes narrowed at her for a moment and he slipped out as quietly as he came in. Despite her best efforts, Hermione cried.  
***  
^.^I know, I know. Too much crying, and for some, too much Hermione. Stay with me folks. Possible Harry/Draco action in the next chapter. Will Harry and Ron have that talk? Review, darlings!  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver   



	21. What now?

A/N: Hello, m'dears! Miss me? It was very nice to see how many people had me on their favorites list and author alert. Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but I was banned from the computer.  
  
Thank you to:Crystal,lil_gemini,Hermione Malfoy, Raggona, miss breed, Sarah-chan, Kris/Star Lin, do you really care ?! (my unresponsible reader. Tsk, tsk), Lindsay Beth, Prongs, Lelio/Kerr, Sophia Luna, I_Wuv_Ron, Mystica,and Tinuviel 182.  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed "Amalia" and "Final Thoughts" I'm so glad you liked them, especially the poem, cuz I always say poetry's not my thing.  
  
Much love to Becks, who told me why this story's more addictive than Pringles.   
  
Special thanks to Cat Samwise, who came up with a plot, even though she has repeatedly threatened the person who asked for it in the first place.   
  
Watch out! I think this is where things get confusing (as if they weren't already.)  
***  
  
Part Twenty-One (fourth version)  
  
Draco, who was feeling particularly elated over the events in Potions, was resisting the urge to devour Harry completely and failing miserably. He traced a path with his tongue from Harry's navel to his nipple, sucking briefly before capturing his lips. He pulled Harry closer, every inch of their bodies touching. Psyched as he was, he was beginning to feel deterred by Harry's lack of enthusiasm. He ran his tongue along his neck. Nothing. Not even a shiver.  
  
"What's wrong, lamb?" he asked, smiling ever so slightly.  
"What happened to Hermione today-" Harry paused.  
"Yes?"  
"It wasn't on purpose, was it?"  
"I'm hurt you would think that," Draco replied, pouting. "The crocodile's tears completley slipped my mind. I din't think she'd pass out from pain." *So soon. Wuss* he thought bitterly.  
"I'm sorry. It's just that-"  
"Granger and I don't play well together?" Draco interrupted.Harry nodded. "Don't worry. I'm sure we can reach some kind of - arrangement."   
  
Harry gave a small frown at the way he said arrangement. It didn't sound right. But Drtaco kissed him again, and all other thoughts vanished. Nothing mattered but Draco's soft lips on his and his tongue, which Harry was desperately trying to find. He pulled away. Draco sighed.  
  
"What now?" he demanded, impatience creeping into his voice.   
"It's Ron," Harry replied. *Oh, fuck me,* Draco swore silently. He ran his hand thorugh his silvery hair.  
"What about Weasley?"  
"This entire things seems to upset him. I don't think he understands this whole thing yet."  
"Go talk to him."  
"What? Now?"  
"Can you think of a better time?"  
"Are you serious?"  
"It is apparent to me that if Weasley doesn't get it, I don't get any. Go. Make him get it."  
"Oh, and here I thought you were trying to be sweet," Harry teased.  
"Sweet? You should know better. I'm just in it for the sex," Draco joked.  
"Really?" said Harry, raising an eyebrow. "Why don't you just go after Pansy then? I'm sure she'd be happy to serve." His eyes flashed momentarily. Draco embraced him.   
"You know perfectly well why I don't go after Pansy. One, she's repulsive. Two, even if she weren't, she's not you."   
"Good answer," Harry replied, kissing him passionately.  
"I'm glad you thought so," Draco murmured, eyes half-closed.  
  
Harry tore away and began fastening his robe. "What now?" asked Draco.  
"I'm going to talk to Ron."  
"Now?"  
"Can you think of a better time?"  
"Oh, sure. Use my own words against me."  
"Okay," Harry said brightly. "See you later," he called, walking out.  
"Damn," Draco muttered with a smile, "I really screwed myself over on that one."  
  
Harry found Ron alone in the Gryffindor common room, staring at a table. "You know," he began, not turning to look at Harry,"I don't think I'll ever be able to look at that table the same way again." Harry blushed when he realized that it was the table where he and Draco had been caught kissing. "Do you think Filch will kill me slowly or quickly in a fit of rage if i burn it?"  
"Slowly, knowing Filch," Harry answered.  
"Very slowly," Ron agreed.  
  
"ROn, we need to talk."  
"I think walking in on your best friend swapping spit with your worst enemy might be a little beyond talking."  
"Look, I realize you probably feel betrayed-"  
"Betrayed? God, Harry, betrayed doesn't cover the half of it!"  
"What then?"  
"It's a whole slew of things. Betrayed is one of them, but I'm also confused, angry, guilty, and upset. Part of me is even glad."  
"Glad?" echoed Harry.  
"Yes, because it means you won't be repulsed when I do this." Ron kissed him softly. It was nothing like Draco's kisses of burning ice. Instead it was like warm sunlight. Ron pulled away and ran upstairs. He wasn't the only one confused.  
  
***  
^_^ Oh, dear! Everybody wants Harry! I guess that's what happens when you're sweet and hot! *thwap* Ouch! Well, it's true! Our angel Draco doesn't fall for just anybody, ya know! *grin* Review, darlings!  
Luv ya!  
J.Silver  
  
  



	22. Confusion

A/N: *holds notebook up as a shield and vainly hopes its fireproof* Ah! My dears, your flames hurt! Have you no faith in me whatsoever? Does it not say in my summary that this is Draco/Harry SLASH? Don't question that! The only thing to question is how this is going to remain Harry/Draco SLASH. *looks ruefully on the scorched notebook and folds her leathery wings away*   
  
Thanks to: All of you! Even you flamers! Please forgive me for not mention names right now. I'm too upset to look for names.  
  
Anyway, the knot becomes more tangled. If you must flame, please no tantrums.  
  
***  
Part Twenty-Two  
  
Neville found Ron crying in the dorm. Well, he didn't actually find Ron with tears streaming down his face. He heard muffled sobs, followed by thwacking noises coming from the drawn curtains of Ron's bed. His first impulse was to find out what was bothering Ron, but Ron had a really bad temper and Neville didn't want to be caught up in the middle of this anymore than he had to... Which didn't explain why he found himself standing by Ron's bed, asking him if he was all right.  
  
Ron gave a bitter laugh. "Yeah, bloody fantastic, Neville. Never *thwack* been *thwack* better."  
"I don't believe you," Neville said quietly.  
"I didn't ask you to."  
"I take it things didn't go to well with Harry," Neville ventured, timidly drawing back the curtains to Ron's bed. *Why am I doing this? I'm really more of a non-confrontational kind of guy...* Ron punched his pillow. *Thwack*  
"What gave you that idea?"  
  
"What are you doing?" Neville sighed.  
"I'm pretending this pillow is the person I currently hate."  
"Who would that be?"  
"Draco," Ron replied immediately. He sighed. "Or myself. I'm kinda alternating right now."  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
"No."  
"Good. I'm listening," Neville said, sitting down. Ron looked bewildered. Even Neville was a bit stunned by his own boldness.  
  
Ron flopped down next to Neville. He closed his eyes. "Where do I begin?"  
"Your huge crush on Harry might be a good place to start," Neville said softly, almost encouragingly. Ron looked at him with undisguised shock. *Does anything get behind those soft blue eyes? * he wondered.  
"No, nothing gets past me. Yes, I do know everything about you and harry and Hermione, and Seamus and Dean and everyone else in Gryffindor," Neville said, as if reciting it from memory. He smiled comfortingly. Ron smiled back.  
"Right, my huge crush on Harry. How-"  
"I'm asking questions, if you please."  
"Fine. I don't know when I started liking Harry. He was - Do you mind if I don't go into detail? I'm-"  
"Not this most articulate person in the world?" Neville finished. Ron nodded.  
"Like, I said, I don't know when I started, but I just kind of ignored these feelings for so long, I forgot about them, but then I saw harry and Draco kissing and it just-" Ron faltered.  
"Hit you?"  
"Like a ton of bricks," Ron said. "I just wanted to kill him. Actually, I just went numb. Then I think I went into denial. Now I want to kill him."  
"We've all been there. I don't think there's a person who has met Draco Malfoy that hasn't wanted to kill him at some point," Neville laughed. Ron agreed whole-heartedly.  
  
"What happened?" Neville asked.  
"He wanted to talk."  
"And?" Neville prompted. Ron sat up.  
"I just kinda blew up and-"  
"Yes?"  
"God, I kissed him!" Ron covered his face.  
"Ah!"  
"Don't look at me like that. I feel completely stupid now. I don't even know why. It was just so wrong."  
"Wrong how?"  
"I shouldn't have. He's Harry, for Christ's sake."  
"So what if he's Harry?" Neville asked. Ron looked at him like he was psycho.  
"He's my best friend. He's Harry fucking Potter, savior of the wizarding world. He's-"  
"A he?"  
"That's not the point."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Damn it! I'm so confused Neville. I don't know what's going on anymore," Ron said, breaking into tears again. Neville hesitated, and very awkwardly, put an arm around Ron's shoulders. Ron leaned against him. Neville wrapped the other arm around him.  
"Hush, now. Everything will be put to rights soon, I promise," he whispered, stroking Ron's hair.  
***  
^.^ Okay, dears. Another chapter down! Please, review. I honestly do appreciate them.   
Luv ya!  
J. Silver  



	23. Introducing...Depth!

Hello! H'mm. General feelings of discontent and confusion among you, m'dears. I just got a new crystal ball and I see...that you're not going to be very happy with me, because this story's going to take a *small* detour. Maybe a chapter or two...or three. Don't worry, though. I have a plan now, even if you guys don't see it yet!  
  
And Depth? Depth appears in my story? Does she accompany Plot and Complication(s)? H'mm... Hehe!  
  
Thank you India, thank you consequence... j/k. No Alanis Morisette today! But thank you to do you really care?!, Calamity, Cat Samwise, Becks, Beth825, Raggona, Lelio, Lindsay Beth, Mimi, Prongs (I'm loving you right now!), Tinuviel182, AVK, tweety, Glace de Slytherin, Heloisa, Gia, Mystica, and Sophia!  
  
Warning: I feel another bout of random, pointless silliness coming on! Your fault, Becks, and damn sugar glazed doughnuts! *grin* Did you know it takes about an hour and a dose of reviews from addicted readers for the sugar to kick in? Well it kicked in- hard!  
***  
Part Twenty-Three  
  
Draco returned to his dorm very disappointed. Trust one of Harry's friends to ruin a perfect day without even being there. He ignored odd looks from Crabbe and Goyle, who had gotten used to seeing Draco in a fairly good mood over the past couple of weeks, and collapsed on his bed.   
  
He found himself in Harry's dorm. In the middle of the dorm were two tiny wizards and a witch. One of the wizards wore bright fuchsia robes and had hair that looked plastic. The other one was wearing horrendous beige robes and had a rat's nest of dark hair. Draco noticed that he was drooling. *Ugh,* he thought. The plastic-haired one appeared to be arguing with the witch. She was tall with deep green eyes and hair that actually sparkled like tinsel.   
  
"You can't be serious!" he said.  
"I wouldn't joke about something like that," she said.  
"But you can't! It's bad enough I'm stuck with him-"  
"Look, I'm not thrilled with the idea of being stuck with the fountain of drool and-" she looked Plot over "a midget Ken doll." Somewhere near Draco, Harry laughed.   
"Can't have Plot without Complication," Harry said. Draco looked at him.  
"Yes and apparently you can't have a plot without Depth," Plot sighed.  
"Depth?" Draco replied, wrinkling his nose.  
"Yes, Depth. It adds meaning to the story line."   
  
*POP* another little wizard in navy robes apparated.   
"Like Plot, Depth-" he said looking at her, "is highly overrated"  
"Well, I don't see Pointlessness, winning any prizes lately," she retorted.  
"Not true! The Matrix won a whole bunch of awards," Pointlessness said.  
"None for story line, though," said Dean. *Where'd he come from?* asked Draco. Then he remembered it was his dorm.  
"Aha! See? People like Plot," said Plot.  
"But a plot is unrealistic," cried Pointlessness.  
"How?" asked Depth.  
"The Mysterious Workings of Life can't be condensed into an orderly sequence of events," Pointlessness answered.  
"Sure they can!" said Plot.  
"No he can't! He hasn't seen his feet in years. You need a crane just to lift him! And have you seen the size of an orderly sequence of events? It's the size of carry-on luggage!" explained Pointlessness. Draco laughed.  
  
"Man's got a point," gurgled Complication.  
"You talk?" asked an astounded barely clothed Harry. Plot looked completely floored.  
"Of course I talk, but who'd want to talk to *that*?" he said gesturing to Plot.   
"Ha! Take that, you fashion victim!" cried Pointlessness gleefully.  
"Like your robes are fresh off the runway," Depth muttered.  
"Pardon me, dear, but I don't believe that wearing tinfoil for hair is particularly stylish either," quipped Pointlessness.   
  
"None of you could make the cover of Wizard's Quarterly, so I don't see why you continue arguing," Neville remarked. *Wait, a minute! Wasn't Neville over there?* Draco thought, glancing at the other side of the room. Ron appeared next to Neville.  
"Yeah. Do you mind keeping it down? We were in the middle of something," He said. Just then a girl wearing Muggle clothes dashed in waving a pen in the air.  
"No, no, no! You've got it all wrong, m'dears! You're not supposed to shag Neville until Chapter 26 and 5/16!" she cried.  
"Don't you think you should have made that clear on this bubble chart?" Seamus asked.  
"What?" asked the girl, walking over to him.  
"Look. Here's the story plan. It's kinda hard to read, since you keep changing your mind. Any way, here it is: Chapter 26- stuff."  
"Why that makes perfect sense, Seamus," said Dean. "Stuff happens in every chapter."  
"Good point! Never mind then. Ron! Neville! Stop! You're ruining the entire story line."  
"Sorry!" called Neville.  
"No big deal. Luv ya! Review!" the girl called, rushing out.  
"Review? REview what?" asked Draco.  
"The story of course," mumbled Complication.  
"What story?"   
"This one, moron," snapped Depth. Draco narrowed his eyes at her. He didn't like her. As far as he was concerned, she and her metallic hair could take a long walk of a short cliff.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Draco said.   
"Are you sure that there's Depth in this story?" Plot asked. Depth pulled a slip of paper out of her sleeve.  
"It says right here- Oops!"  
"Oops what? " Pointlessness inquired.  
"I forgot to read the byline. I'm supposed to be in another fic entitled Fire and Ice," she replied.  
"Lovely! See you later! Have a nice day," he said, shoving her out of the door. "Now-" he said, turning to Pointlessness. "As for you-"  
"I'm supposed to be here. There's no Plot in this chapter. Check your slip," Pointlessness said. Plot did. It was pink with matching lace around the hem.   
"Fine," he muttered, walking out.  
  
Draco woke up in his own bed. "God! What a nightmare! What the hell did Granger put in that antidote? Weasley and Longbottom? Ew! What kind of a sick-" he continued in this vein for a long time, before finally drifting off to a less quarrelsome sleep.  
  
***  
^_^ In case you couldn't tell, the girl with the pen was me! I'm getting my thoughts in order for the next bit right now. Don't expect more today, though. Review! Hehe!  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver  



	24. Good Enough to Eat

A/N: Hello! I have learned that there are some people who love Plot, Complication, and co. and there are those who just get hopelessly confused. For those that are confused, I'm sorry, but I'll stick one of those bits in every now again just to add a healthy dose of insanity.  
  
No, I was not dissing the Matrix. It's one of my favorite movies. And I was making fun of my own story. As for 'Shipper showing up later- I don't know. Yes, Becks it's your fault. If you hadn't said that there was depth in my story, she wouldn't have appeared.  
  
Thanks to Dreamer, Cat Samwise and her nice poem, Becks, a responsible reader, Kris/Star Lin, Dumbledore's True Love, Prongs, a person, darkangel hart, Tinuviel 182, Mystica, Sophia, Lelio (I've been trying to read that story for a week now), do you really care?!, and Lindsay Beth.  
  
This chapter: I don't know. Maybe Draco/Harry action. We'll see.  
  
***  
Part Twenty-Four  
  
Draco felt hands running along his ribcage. He felt lips on his, burning him. Mm. They tasted so familiar. *Harry,* he thought. His hands reached up to stroke the now-familiar strands of wild dark hair. Harry's tongue parted his lips. Draco moaned. He hadn't been kissed like that for days. He wrapped one leg around him, pulling his lover on top of him.   
  
"I guess that means you're awake," Harry said, smiling. Draco opened his eyes.   
"What are you doing here?"  
"What does it feel like I'm doing here?" he whispered, tugging Draco's ear gently with his teeth.  
"It feels like you're trying to eat me."  
"Does it?" Harry, his lips brushing against Draco's neck.  
"Really, what are you doing here?"  
"You."  
"Me?"  
"Do I have to spell it out for you?"  
"That would be nice," Draco replied. He gasped when Harry began rubbing his leg against the Draco's inner thigh in small, tight circles.  
"Draco, I'm here because I want you. Let me make love to you." Draco couldn't reply. He just groaned softly. Harry took Draco's hands. Draco heard a small click.  
  
"Wh-"  
"Handcuffs, love. Don't want you to get away from me."  
"As I recall, it was you who ran off last time."  
"I have no intention of running anywhere now." Harry cocked his head to the side. "Did you know you look pretty in handcuffs?"  
"Do I?" Draco asked dryly.  
"Good enough to eat." He proved his point by kissing the tender inside of Draco's arm, biting softly. With one hand he swiftly undid Draco's pajama top. "Hush now," he said. "We don't want to wake anybody up, do we?"  
  
Draco wasn't used to seeing Harry like this- not that he was complaining, mind. There was something very exciting about having Harry taking control like this. Harry smiled at him before going lower. Draco hissed between his teeth and pulled at his restraints. He cried out in pleasure. "Not another sound. I 'll have to stop." Draco nodded and bit his lip to stop from crying out. But he couldn't stop himself. He could steel himself against pain, but not this. Little noises escaped from his coral lips. Not that Harry minded. He liked it when Draco was so overwhelmed he couldn't even speak, just moan and gasp. It drove him wild.  
  
He switched tactics, entering Draco. The blond boy arched his back, causing the handcuffs to rattle against the headboard.  
"Say my name," Harry whispered, moving his hips.  
"Harry," gasped Draco. Harry kissed him fiercely. Draco's called his name louder and louder. His final scream was caught in Harry's mouth as he delivered his final sweet, lingering kiss.  
  
He released Draco from the handcuffs and was pleasantly surprised when Draco nuzzled him and laid his head on his chest. He sighed and stroked his hair, remembering when he thought he was going to die if he didn't feel it running through his fingers like water. For a short while, he was able to totally forget about Ron's kiss and Hermione up in the hospital wing. "I love you," Draco breathed.  
"I know," Harry replied.  
  
***  
^_^ So what is Harry thinking, m'dears? Will he tell Draco about Ron? Will Draco tell Harry about Hermione? Will Ron and Hermione spill the beans to each other? And will Ron and Neville really shag in Chapter 26 and 5/16? What do you think?  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver 


	25. The Almost Direct Approach

A/N: Hello, my dears. Failing physics and obligations to friends and family make it difficult for me to post chapters as often as I'd like.   
Now we make our little detour from the strictly Harry/Draco scene. Hopefully, it will all tie in.  
  
Thank you to tweety (I know what you mean), Becks, Lizzy Potter, Cat Samwise, Wyvern, Bellerophon, Krissy (I missed you), do you really care ?!, miss breed, Prongs, Amo Draconem, Visitor to Earth, Lindsay Beth, Blythe,Tinuviel 182, and Lelio.   
  
***  
Part Twenty-Five   
  
Hermione came back from the hospital wing very shortly. She didn't speak much to Ron or Harry and worked hard on repressing involuntary shudders that arose when Malfoy was near. The boy was so obviously cut out to be a death eater. He was the perfect Slytherin, and that was praise Voldemort himself would be hard-pressed to live up to. Why hadn't she seen it before? The calculating glance in his hard eyes as his fingers brushed Harry's skin, the cold edge to his voice- all indicators of what he really was- a cold, heartless son of a bitch. She didn't doubt for an instant that he could put a Cruciatus curse on someone without so much as a backward glance.   
  
She glanced at Ron. Poor Ron. She wondered what he was thinking. His face was unreadable now. He just seemed in a sort of shock. It was hard when your best friend fell in love with your mortal enemy. It would be even worse if he found out his girlfriend lusted after his best friend. But she liked Ron. She honestly did. She just wasn't attracted to him like she was to Harry. Ron rose from the table and murmured something about homework. "Want help?" she asked. He nodded slowly.   
"I have to do some things on my own," he said, walking out.  
  
Ron didn't have any homework to do. He had done it all the night before when sleep had stood him up. He couldn't stand sitting between Harry and Hermione anymore. He was starting to get a headache and it seemed like sleep had just remembered their previous appointment.   
  
He woke up to find himself almost nose to nose with Seamus Finnegan. "Hello," Seamus said, grinning.  
"Er- hi?" Ron responded, confused. "What are you doing?"  
"I wanted to find out what's bothering you, Ronnikins." Ron winced at the use of his hated nickname. If it was anybody else, he would have been angry, but Seamus was Seamus and therefore allowed to get away with anything.   
  
"Do you have to be so close?"  
"The strategy is to make you so uncomfortable, you'll tell me anything I want to know just to get me to sod off."  
"Good strategy, that one."  
"Thanks."  
"But it's not going to work."  
"It isn't?" asked Seamus in mild surprise.  
"No,"  
"Why not?"  
"I'll die before I tell you what my problem is."  
"You trust me so little?" Seamus questioned, moving closer.  
"Yes," Ron replied immediately. Seamus pouted.  
"I'm hurt."  
"Nothing personal. You just have a problem keeping your mouth shut."  
"That's not true," Seamus protested, sliding closer to Ron. "You didn't know I was bisexual for ages."  
"What?" cried Ron. Seamus pursed his lips.  
"H'm. I could have sworn you were present for that one."  
"I was. My astonishment was at the use of the word 'ages'. How long is ages?"  
  
Seamus moved closer before answering. His leg lightly touched Ron's. He blinked. "If I thought counting would be so difficult for a blond, I wouldn't have asked," Ron quipped. Seamus merely grinned.   
"Very long," he said at last.  
"It took you that long to figure that out?"  
"I was trying to narrow it down."  
"Ditz."  
  
"Talk," Seamus commanded, moving in again.  
"No," Ron said, moving back. Seamus caught his hips and drew him closer.  
"You're not getting away from me that easily."  
"Really?"  
"Really. Tell me what's bothering you."  
"Why do you care?"  
"Because I can't stand the sight of you being so mopey, Ronnikins. Talk to me."  
"Seamus, if you get any closer, talking will be impossible," Ron observed.  
"I know. Did I mention I find red hair very attractive?"  
"No, but my brother Bill has a lot more of it than me, so why don't you get off me and go after him because I'm not telling you anything."  
"Too bad, " Seamus sighed.  
  
He leaned in closer. Before Ron could do anything, Seamus was yanked off the bed and onto his feet by the collar of his robe. "Come along, Seamus. Ron doesn't want to play your games. Why don't you try them on Dean?" Neville asked cheerfully. Ron laughed as Seamus eagerly went in search of the unsuspecting Dean.  
  
Ron sat up. "Thanks, Neville."  
"Don't thank me. I only did it for one reason."  
"What's that?"  
"I want you for myself," Neville replied quietly. Ron gaped at him, refusing to believe that he'd heard correctly. Neville flashed him an angelic smile. "Don't worry. You have enough problems between Harry and Hermione. I'm not going to make any demands of you." He smiled again. "Well, maybe just one." He tilted Ron's chin upwards and pressed his lips to his in a gentle, chaste kiss. He was gone before Ron had even begun to process what just happened.  
***  
^_^ I know Draco/Harry fans will probably be disappointed with this chapter, but they live in this world too, and the actions of others affect them. Review, dears. I'll get the next bit posted ASAP.  
  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver  



	26. @*%&!* (also called Insert Favorite Expl...

Yay! I got 300 reviews. What a wonderful birthday present! (Technically that's tomorrow, though) Thank you, m'dears. I didn't think this story would be such a success.   
  
Firstly, let me say that if I ever write a Hermione/Ginny fic and they both survive, don't flame me because I'll drink poison as soon as I post it.  
  
Secondly, these people are teenagers. Hormones are high and experimenting is just part of the whole deal.  
  
Thirdly, I realize that it is statistically impossible that five out of five guys are gay/bi.   
  
Fourthly, I don't care. I'm not partial to the girls in the books.  
  
Fifthly, If the above explanations/excuses don't suit you, just pretend Fred and George slipped something into everybody's pumpkin juice, k?  
  
Sixthly, I don't think Harry and Draco appear in this chapter, but they'll be in the next one, and most likely the next one.  
  
Thanks to Zoe (which handcuff idea? Just handcuffs period? I thought that was a pretty common thing. I just tossed them in there because I had to use the line "don't you have any self-restraint?" "I have self-imposed restraints. Does that count?"),Cat Samwise, Calamity, Lelio, Prongs, Becks, Amanda, Tom Riddilpley, Mrrrisa (dear friend and fellow author), Hermione Malfoy, Lizzy Potter, Raven Maxwell, ExCueTee (haven't seen that name in a bit),Mimi,Panda pinke, Tinuviel 182 and Krissy.   
  
***  
Exams were coming up in less than a week. Ron threw himself into his studies, something he rarely did. He needed something to help him forget. Help him forget his craving for Harry's lips. Forget Hermione's pitying-bordering-on-guilt-laden stares. Why did she keep looking at him that way? He was hopelessly confused, not dying. Unless it was possible to die from confusion. He felt like he was about to explode. *Stop looking at me! * he thought to Hermione. Harry was probably off with Draco somewhere, leaving him and Hermione to study for exams. *Breathe,* he reminded himself. *Just breathe.* He looked up from his notes. His eyes met Neville's. He felt instantly calmer.  
  
He felt Hermione's head resting on his shoulder. Poor 'Mione. If she knew... He turned to look at her. "You look tired," she said. Ron smiled, a huge effort in itself.   
"Really?"  
"Mm-h'm. You should take a break from studying. Take a nap," she suggested. "I like you better when there are no bags beneath your eyes." She kissed him softly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Neville get up and silently leave the common room. Odd how gracefully he moved when he was trying not to attract attention. He smiled at Hermione again.  
"You're right. I think I will go take a nap. See you later?" She nodded and watched Ron disappear up the steps to his dorm.  
  
Ron nearly stepped on Trevor as he walked through the door. "Ah, watch it!" Neville called, rushing over to them. Ron smiled and scooped up Trevor gently. "Can you believe it? It's been years and he still gets away from me," Neville laughed, taking the toad from Ron. Ron laughed.  
"I can't imagine why anything in its right mind would run from you."  
"Is that right?"  
"Would I have said it otherwise?"  
"I thought we agreed you weren't the most articulate person in the world."  
"That's true," Ron said feeling a bit deflated. Neville laughed.   
"Don't look so sad. I have a hard time taking a compliment. I rarely get any."  
  
There was silence for the next few minutes as Neville returned Trevor to his cage and fed him. It was a comfortable silence, though, not one of those horrible awkward silences that had come between him, Harry, and Hermione.   
"Why aren't you with your girlfriend?" Neville asked. Ron tensed.  
"Because I'd rather be here with you," He replied. He laughed. "That's kinda terrible, isn't it?"  
"Not if you're me." Ron didn't answer.  
  
"What's bothering you?" Neville inquired. Ron sat down on his trunk.   
"This whole mess."  
"Aw," Neville cooed, sitting next to him. "Can't figure out what to do?"  
"That's not it. I know what I have to do. It's just a matter of being brave enough to do it."  
"You're in Gryffindor. You wouldn't be here if you weren't brave."  
"No, I suppose not," Ron said. He leaned forward and kissed Neville. It was short and he pulled away. He felt gentle pressure on the back of his head.  
"Don't stop," whispered Neville. "It was just getting good." Ron smiled and kissed him again.   
  
Things kind of snowballed from there. After several very passionate, intense kisses, Ron forgot about everything. If someone had mentioned Hermione, Ron's response would have been "Hermione who?" This was exactly what Neville had been hoping for and what Ron had been searching for. Hands were traveling. Robes were being unfastened. Kisses were getting more desperate. There was no telling how far things might have gone if Miss Who? herself hadn't walked in carrying a book Ron had left down stairs. The book fell to the floor with a huge thud. Ron and Neville froze. Hermione's face was a mask of pure shock. She covered her face and ran away. "Damn it!" Ron swore.  
"Go after her," Neville said quietly.   
"Are you sure?"  
"She reads an awful lot. No doubt she's found some nasty hexes. If you don't attempt to patch things up, you might find yourself the victim of one of them." Ron smiled.  
"Thanks, Neville."  
"Don't thank me. Go," Neville urged. Ron fastened his robe and ran after Hermione.  
  
" 'Mione, wait!" Ron called, grabbing her wrist gently. She tugged it free.  
"Don't touch me," she sobbed. Ron was stunned. Hermione crying? He had never seen her cry before. *Shit!*   
"Hermione, listen to me-"  
"I said don't touch me!" she yelled. Ron took a step back. "Just don't touch me. I don't want to even look at you right now." She stumbled out of the portrait hole.  
"Nice going, Ron," Fred remarked.   
"Absolutely smashing. What the hell did you do to make her so mad?" inquired George.  
"She caught me making out with Neville," Ron said, too disappointed by this latest turn of events to even think up a lie.   
"That's funny. Really, what did you do?" Fred asked. Ron walked away. "You don't think he seriously-"  
"I don't know. He's got that look."  
"What look?"  
"The I-really-fucked-that-one-up look."  
"Oh. But Neville?"  
"Best not to think about it," George advised. "Let's go terrorize Filch."  
  
***  
OMIGOD! Did something actually go almost as planned?! *gasp* Yay! Okay, Harry next chapter I promise. Maybe Draco if you're nice and review.   
  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver  



	27. Reason?

A/N: Never have I met such demanding people (or person)! Oh well in the words of a song "I work at pleasing me 'cuz I can't please you. And that's why I do what I do." So us sit it out. Sorry if it's dragging or if you're suffering from Harry/ Draco deprivation. If you truly can't stand it, there are chapters 3, 5, 9, and 24. (Sorry if I sound peevish. I lost the disk with all my story files somewhere.)  
  
Thanks to Glace de Slytherin (What makes you think I don't like 'Mione? I don't, BTW. I guess to me she'll always be the bossy know-it-all she was in the first book.), Cat Samwise, Heloisa, Vistor to Earth, silrayn silverwolf, Tinuviel182, Artemis, Lindsay Beth, Tom Riddilpley, Luna, Spookygirl, lil_gemini, Lelio, Mrrrisa, Krissy, Zoe, and Do you really care?! Thanks also to Sweet Eowyn, DS Ire, and Wyvern, who it's always nice to hear from.  
  
***  
Hermione literally ran right into Harry. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he had been up to. She could tell just by the silly grin plastered on his face. She hated him suddenly. Why was he so damned happy? What gave him the right to be so cheerful when her world was just going to pieces? Well his parents were dead, for one. Oh yeah and then there was the fact that he lived with those horrid people...She realized that Harry had spent most of his life being unhappy. How could she begrudge him the little bit of happiness he had now. Why wasn't she glad for him? She felt worse than she had before.  
  
"Herm, what's wrong?" Harry asked softly, noticing her distress. It couldn't have been more glaringly obvious if it painted itself neon pink and danced through the halls. Word tumbled out of her mouth so fast, Harry could hardly get more than the words "preoccupied", "Ron", "Neville" and "kissing." But he didn't need to be a genius of Hermione's caliber to figure out what was troubling the poor girl. Ron and Neville! It seemed so far-fetched he almost laughed. Hermione would have hated him forever so he kept a straight face and tried to be as comforting as he could. He hugged her. She melted against him and kept crying.  
  
"But how could he do it?" she said.  
"I sure it's not what it looked like."  
"Right. An invasion of Cornish Pixies swarmed into the dorm and lifted Neville and Ron up by their robes, which of course fell open. Then they dropped Ron on top of Neville so that their lips were conviently touching and performed a binding spell to make seperation impossible for at least five minutes. Yes, I see it all clearly," she snapped.  
"I'm sure there's something more plausible then that," Harry said, a bit ruffled by Hermione's generous use of sarcasm.  
"Yes, he's left me for Neville!" she said, breaking into fresh tears.  
"Hermione!" Harry said. "Be reasonable."  
"Reasonable? Harry, in case you didn't get the memo, Reason has not visited the Gryfindor dorms since you fell for Malfoy!"  
"That was uncalled for."  
"It's true. Besides, I spend 99% of my life being reasonable. I think I'm allowed an occasional reprieve." There was a tense silence.  
  
"Neville?" Hermione wailed again.  
"Neville's not that bad, actually," Harry said, without thinking. Hermione looked at him in disbelief.  
"Was that supposed to make me feel better?"  
"Is the law on my side if I say 'Ay'?"  
"No," she replied glumly.  
"It could be worse.'  
"I don't see how."  
"It could've been Pansy or Bulstrode or Goyle or Snape or-"  
"Stop! Stop! You're only making things worse!" she yelled. He smiled sheepishly.   
"Sorry," he said, hugging her again. She rested her head on his shoulder.  
"I think I've got it figured out."  
"How?"  
"I give up on Gryffindors. Maybe I can find a straight guy in Ravenclaw- or Hufflepuff, even," she said with a little giggle. Harry laughed.  
"There's the spirit." She smiled at him and gave him a soft peck on the lips before heading of to her sanctuary- the library.  
  
Harry heard footsteps and turned to see a pale blond boy disappearing around a corner. What was Draco doing lurking around hallways?  
  
***  
Alright. I can hear the complaints now. Not enough Draco! No Draco/Harry! Who honestly cares about Hermione? Patience, dears. I don't care if it isn't one of your virtues. I'll have the next bit up ASAP. And it will have both Harry and Draco.  
  
Luv ya-  
J.Silver  



	28. *laughs*

A/N:*Beams* Hello, m'dears. I was simply stunned by the number of reviews I got yesterday. Thank you! Sorry about being so ill-tempered the other day, but I miss my disk!  
  
Thank you to all you lovely, lovely people. Let me think: Thank you Tani (x at least 10), Cat Samwise, Gia, Prongs, Lindsay beth, Lelio, Wyvern, Mystica, Becks, Glace de Slytherin, Lynn, Spookygirl, AVK, Luna, miss breed, and Krissy.  
***  
In Potions the next day the class broke itself up into odd pairs. Neville and Ron were partners as were Hermione and- Goyle? Harry shook his head. *I'm not even going to ask,* he thought. He turned to find Draco and was slightly amused to find him paired with Pansy. His amusement faded when he realized he was left to partner up with Crabbe. Crabbe was surprised himself, but quickly accepted the situation. He had no particular reason to hate Harry and was grateful that he didn't have to be with Draco, who was in a foul mood, or Pansy, who was plain annoying.  
  
"How did this happen?" he heard Harry mutter.   
"Longbottom and Weasley walked in together. Granger looked at them and took a seat next to Greg. Draco came in glaring and just sat next to Pansy. You can imagine how thrilled she was," Crabbe replied, rolling his eyes. He muttered something and Harry distinctly heard the word "airhead." He laughed.  
"I don't think I've ever heard you talk so much." Crabbe shrugged.  
"It's not expected of me. My job is to look vacuous and imposing."  
"Vacuous?"  
"Stupid."  
"I know what it means, I just-"  
"Didn't think I would," Crabbe finished.  
"Sorry."  
"Eh, don't be. It means I did my job well."  
  
Harry looked at the instructions on the board. "Hyper Potion," he read. He giggled. "Do you think that's a good idea?" he asked Crabbe.  
"As long as we keep it away from Finnegan, we should be all right," was the reply. Harry looked over at Seamus, who looked like he'd already drained a vial of Hyper Potion and was having a hard time keeping still. He laughed again.  
"He must be the only person in the world who could take a Gloom Potion and still be cheery," Crabbe said. Harry tried to bite back his laughter. At this rate, he'd be on the floor and out of class. Crabbe raised his eyebrows and gave him the oddest look. Harry doubled over laughing.   
"Mr. Potter, perhaps you can explain to me what is so uproariously funny," Snape said.  
"You," replied Crabbe. Harry hit the floor. Snape was livid.  
"You- things- out- now," Snape said, not even capable of forming a sentence. As difficult as it had been to say, it was even harder to carry out. Harry actually had to be dragged out of the room and by the time they left, Crabbe was no better off then he was.  
  
They collapsed on the floor, still giggling furiously. "What is wrong with you?" gasped Crabbe.  
"I wish I could tell you. Maybe Seamus has rubbed off on me."  
"Up is more likely," Crabbe chuckled. Harry stared at him, before laughing again.   
"What made you do it?" he inquired, referring to his chat with Sanpe.  
"I always wanted to. I had the perfect opportunity and I couldn't resist."  
"You know, you're all right, Crabbe," Harry said, holding out his hand.  
"You're not so bad yourself. Call me Vincent."  
"Nice to meet you, Vincent. I'm Harry."  
"Likewise, Harry."  
  
"What the hell was that in Potions?" Ron demanded.   
"I don't know. Crabbe started talking and he gave me this look-"  
"Crabbe can speak?" Neville asked incredulously.   
"Yes, in complete sentences even," Harry joked.  
"Liar!" said Ron. Neville smiled up at him and wrapped an arm around his waist. Ron kissed him. Harry grinned. Now that he had actually seen them together, he thought they made a wonderful pair. Out of duty, he had given Ron a stern lecture on cheating and Neville one on going after a guy who's already involved. They had both listened quite contritely, but judging by the way that they had kissed afterward, Harry doubted that anything had really sunk in.   
  
Neville frowned and turned to Harry.  
"What was up with Draco?" he asked.  
"Who cares?" Ron asked. Neville shot him a stern look. "Oh, sorry."  
"What do you mean?"  
"He kept glaring at you all through class. He looked like he was capable of murder when Crabbe had to drag you out of the classroom."  
"Probably upset that someone else touched his beloved Harry," Ron said.  
"It looked like more than that."  
"I'll go talk to him," Harry said. "I'm sure it's nothing."  
"Of course it is, but you know how he is"  
"Yeah, a royal pain in the-"  
"Ron!" came Neville's reprimand.  
"Sorry," Ron said, sounding not the slightest bit so.  
  
Harry left in search of Draco and found him much sooner then he expected- kissing Pansy Parkinson.  
  
***  
Yuck! That's just not right. Review, please! Definitely Draco and Harry in the next bit. Hopefully Ron/Neville too. ^_^  
  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver  
  
P.S. The brief pairing of 'Mione and Greg was for Lelio. I'm not sure where that's going...  
P.P.S. Check out the pic in my profile. My friend Marisa did it based on this story. It's awesome! 


	29. Misunderstood

A/N: Here we go. I've got Ron/Neville, Vincent makes another appearance, and Harry and Draco knock each other senseless. (It get's messy, dears.)  
  
Thanks to Glace de Slytherin (major points for your review.),Cat Samwise, Beth825, cari and nori, Calamity, miss breed, Dreamer, SteerpikeSister, Spookygirl,^_~, Abbey, Tinuviel 182, Mystica (suggestion noted), Prongs, Lindsay Beth, Tom Riddlpley (thank you), Krissy, Marisa, and Lelio.  
  
Appologies to Krissy, who actually likes Pansy.  
  
  
***  
Harry gave a startled cry and ran back to the Gryffindor dorms. He slammed open the door, walking in on Ron and Neville at the same point Hermione caught them. Neville buried his face in Ron's shoulder and laughed. Ron swore. "Sorry," Harry mumbled. He sat down on the bed and put his chin in his hands.   
  
"What's wrong?" Neville asked. Harry couldn't form words. "C'mon, Harry. Don't make us use veritaserum," he coaxed.  
"We won't," Ron said quickly. "Then we'd get too much information."  
"DracokissedPansy," Harry mumbled.   
"What? I couldn't understand a word," Ron said. Neville repeated what Harry said slowly. Ron's face drained of color.  
"That bastard. I'll kill him," he swore.  
"Ron-" Neville began.  
"You're not suggesting I sit and do nothing?"  
"No, but let's hear everything first."  
"You sound like 'Mione."  
"There's a lot of that going around," Harry muttered.  
"What happened?"  
"I walked around the corner and they were kissing."  
"Are you sure?"  
"You may think I'm an idiot, Neville, but I know what kissing looks like and that was it."  
"I don't think you're an idiot, just a bit dense. Could you have misinterpreted it?"  
"Neville, how do you misinterpret Draco's tongue down Pansy's throat?" Ron demanded. Neville shuddered.   
"God, awful mental image."  
"Hah! I owed you one," Ron said gleefully.  
"Good question," Harry remarked.  
"Harry, he wouldn't," Neville insisted.  
"He did!" exclaimed Ron.  
"But there's got to be a reason-"  
"He's a slimy git!"  
"Ron-"  
"What else would you call him?"  
"Misunderstood."  
"Nev, that's something entirely different."  
"Is it?"  
"Forget it! I'm going someplace where people aren't kissing!" Harry yelled, storming off. Ron and Neville were silent for a moment.  
"Well," Ron began, "shall we continue?" Neville smiled.  
  
*  
  
Harry was on his way to Hagrid's when he ran into Vincent. "Hello again," Vincent said.  
" 'Lo," Harry muttered.  
"Something bothering you?" Harry paused for a moment. He shouldn't tell Vincent, but... "Does this have anything to do with Draco?" Harry gave a forced smile.  
"No, of course not. What makes you think that?"  
"Because Draco was upset about you yesterday."  
"Why would he care about me?"  
"You're his boyfriend," Vincent remarked. Harry's jaw dropped. Vincent laughed. "It's kind of hard to sleep through the rattling of handcuffs. Never would have picked you as one for accessories." Harry felt the familiar blush of embarrassment creep over his face.  
"Does anybody else know?"  
"Nope. I cast a soundproofing charm right away. Draco's er- sex life is not something that needs to be shared. His father-"  
"I know," Harry whispered.  
  
"What was he angry about?" he asked.  
" He muttered something about 'sneaky', 'Weasley' and 'can't believe him' and more stuff along those lines. Mentioned a kiss."  
"Oh, shit. You mean to say-"  
"Well, it sounds like he thought you cheated on him."  
"But-"  
"You wouldn't do that."  
"Course not."  
"Tell him that," Vincent said. Harry thought for a moment and smiled.  
"Thank you, so much. For a while I thought-"  
"That Draco had left you for Pansy?" Harry nodded. "Draco would chose torture over her."  
"Same thing," Harry replied.  
"Dear God, you're starting to sound like him!"  
"Am I?"  
"Yes, but you're wasting time. Go after him."  
  
Harry ran back to the Gryffindor dorms for his invisibility cloak and ran all the way to the Slytherin dorms, slipping in behind some first years. He took it off instantly. "Draco!" he called.  
"Go away," he replied sullenly. Harry turned to see him lying on his bed.  
"No, we have to talk."  
"No, we don't."  
"I can explain."  
"Don't waste your breath."  
"Look it was just once and it was a mistake!"  
"I'll bet."  
"Ron was confused and he just kissed me and he ran off and-"  
"Weasley! Why don't you just go and have a threesome with him and Granger?" Draco snapped, rising to his feet.  
"Well, if you didn't know about Ron- Wait. What does Hermione have to do with all this?"  
"Everything! I saw you kissing the little mudblood whore yesterday!"  
"Wha-Whoa! You saw me kissing Hermione?"  
"Yes, so don't even try to deny it."  
"She was upset. She walked in on Ron and Neville and she started crying. I comforted her and she gave me a friendly kiss. *That's all.*"  
"Weasley and Longbottom? Excuse me while I throw up!" Draco yelled, making a face.  
"Hey!"  
"Wonderful! Just fucking wonderful. Now you can all have a big orgy."  
  
That was it. Draco was acting like a two-year-old. He wasn't listening at all. How could somebody be so stubborn? Harry went over to him and pushed him onto the bed. He kissed him, hard. "Look," Harry began, unfastening Draco's robes. "I didn't sneak into Hermione or Ron's dorms."  
"You wouldn't- have to sneak into- Weasley's dorm. You live- in the same one," Draco gasped, running his fingers through Harry's hair as he deliverd kisses all over his body.   
"But I didn't go to him. I never have." Harry said, unfastening his own robe. "I sneaked into yours. Do you know why?"  
"Why?" Draco asked.  
"Because I don't want Ron or Neville or Hermione. I just want you. Only you."  
  
Draco pulled Harry to him and kissed him. "Good answer," he said.  
"Glad you thought so," Harry replied, kissing Draco's neck, shivering when he felt Draco run his tongue up his neck. Draco nibbled Harry's ear, biting him a little too hard when Harry's hands moved lower.  
"Don't go," he whispered.  
"Go? I just got here."  
"Stay."  
"How long?"  
"Always."  
"Whatever you want," Harry promised.  
  
***  
  
Okay. They didn't knock each other senseless. Happy, dears? Review!  
  
Luv ya!  
J. Silver   
  
  
  
  



	30. Epilogue

A/N: For notes, see end.  
  
***  
  
Hermione watched them on the train. She had cast a charm over the glass on their compartment to make it opaque. Neville lay asleep on Ron's shoulder in the seat across from her. Draco sat in Harry's lap. She rolled her eyes. They started kissing as soon as the train had left and hadn't come up for air yet. Their hands were all over the place and the occasional moans that issued from one of the boys' lips had caused their friends to request politely at first, then more pointedly that they go into a separate compartment. Harry groaned again, at which Cra-*No, Vincent,* Hermione corrected herself- grabbed them both by their collars and tossed them out of the compartment, eliciting cheers from Ron and Greg.  
  
"Bout time," Ron said. Neville opened his eyes. He ran a finger own Ron's stomach.   
"I didn't mind," he said, looking up at Ron through his lashes.   
"Why's that?" Ron asked. Neville sat up and took a set of earplugs out of his ears. Ron laughed and kissed Neville, who returned it softly. Hermione sighed. They were so cute together. Ron was completely absorbed with Neville, and Neville relished the attention, something he rarely got.  
  
Next to her, Greg laughed. "What's so funny?" she asked.  
"I must have read this part at least a dozen times, and it still cracks me up," he replied. He pushed his copy of Hogwarts, A History toward her, pointing at a paragraph. Hermione read it and giggled.   
"That's my favorite part," she said.  
"It reminds me of Crystal Balls don't Bounce: The Development of Divination."  
"Really? I've never read it."  
"I've got it with me, if you want to take a look at it."  
"Sure." He opened his trunk and brought out at a large, red book with gold lettering. He handed it to her and she opened it eagerly, lost in the fascinating history of divination (which she found not so fascinating).  
  
"Oh, not a book! The last thing 'Mione needs is to read another book!" Ron groaned. She smiled sweetly at him, stuck out her tongue, and went back to reading. "How rude!" Ron huffed.  
"Don't worry about her, Ron," Neville said, directing Ron's attention back to him, which was easy. He kissed him.   
"I see where this is headed. Why don't you get your own compartment?" Vincent said good-naturedly.   
"What a fabulous idea," Neville said, leading Ron out the door.   
  
Vincent smiled to himself. If anybody had told him how this year was going to end, he would have packed them off to an asylum. He was on first-name basis with the Gryffindors he had fought with the most. Greg and Hermione were- well, who knew what Greg and Hermione were? Draco and Harry couldn't keep their hands off each other. Ron and Neville were going out. Could things get any weirder? Vincent blinked. Standing in front of him was an odd little witch with white hair and robes that shined. "Goodness!" she said. "I certainly had a tough time setting everything straight. It's not easy being Order when your brother Chaos is running around and that nut Complication likes to go and drool over everything. The laundry bills get quite expensive," she said ruefully, looking at a spot on her robes. "Oh well. My work here is done!" And she vanished.   
"Yes, they could," Vincent sighed.  
  
Draco and Harry came back into the compartment, flushed and panting. No need to ask what they'd been up to. Neville and Ron came back shortly afterwards. No need to ask what they'd been doing either. The train pulled into King's Cross. They said their good-byes on the train. "You'll write?" Harry asked.  
"Of course," Draco replied, kissing Harry. He smiled and went to meet his father on the platform. Who knows? He might even be able to visit Harry.  
  
***  
The end, darlings! Who's up for a sequel? I've even got - a Plot! *gasp* How's this for a summary: Lucius finds out his son is dating Harry Potter. Complication becomes a permanent house guest, along with his cousin Confusion. Let me know what you think! I've got a plan now.   
  
In the sequel (if you want it) expect Lucius, Sirius, Lupin, more Ron/Neville and hey, we might even get Seamus hooked up with someone!  
  
Review!  
  
Love-  
J. Silver  
  
P.S. Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Not bad for my first finished, multi-chaptered story, huh? ^_^  



End file.
